Kintampo North MP Rescues Ambulance Service with over GH¢60,000

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Kintampo North, Hon. Joseph Kwame Kumah, has donated GH¢60,600 to the National Ambulance Service to restore a broken-down ambulance that has been out of service for months, describing the intervention as a lifesaving investment for residents and the thousands of commuters who travel through the municipality each day.

The donation was made in response to an appeal by the Kintampo North Municipal Office of the National Ambulance Service in the Bono East Region after the ambulance suffered a major engine fault, leaving the municipality without a fully operational emergency response vehicle.

Presenting the donation, Hon. Kumah stressed that Kintampo’s strategic location at the geographical centre of Ghana and along the country’s main north-south highway makes a functional ambulance indispensable.

“It is about collectively making sure the health service gets the best support for the good people of the municipality and beyond. Kintampo happens to be the centre of the nation,” he said.

The MP noted that the municipality serves as a major transit point for travellers from southern Ghana to the northern regions and neighbouring Burkina Faso and Mali, resulting in frequent road crashes that require prompt emergency response.

“Kintampo is on an international route where people travel from the northern sector and the southern sector. Many businessmen and women commute daily through Kintampo to Paga, Mali and beyond. Anytime you hear of an accident within this enclave, it is normally a serious one.”

“For an ambulance to be out of commission even for one day is a major concern to us,” he stated.

Hon. Kumah said the absence of a functioning ambulance had made it difficult to transfer critically ill and injured patients to referral facilities, including the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and the Tamale Teaching Hospital.

“If you visit the hospital and see injured persons struggling to be transferred to Komfo Anokye or the Tamale Teaching Hospital without an ambulance, it is heartbreaking. That is why I found it necessary to urgently provide GH¢60,600 for the purchase of a brand-new engine and the repair of the ambulance so that health service delivery can continue effectively,” he said.

The legislator indicated that the donation was part of his long-standing commitment to strengthening healthcare delivery in the constituency.

“This is not the first time I have supported the Ambulance Service. Over the years, I have financed repairs to the Kadeleso ambulance at a cost of not less than GH¢15,000, repaired the Kintampo ambulance for more than GH¢25,000, and from time to time provided fuel to keep the service running,” he added.

Receiving the donation, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Ambulance Service, Dr. George Kojo Owusu, expressed appreciation to the MP and assured him that the funds would be used strictly for the intended purpose.

“We sincerely thank you for your donation and your kind intervention. Indeed, the ambulance has been out of commission for the past three months. We are going to use the money you’ve donated as quickly as possible to procure a new engine and get the ambulance, including its air-conditioning system, fully operational,” he said.

Dr. Owusu described Kintampo as one of the country’s most strategic emergency response locations and said restoring the ambulance would significantly improve the service’s ability to save lives.

“The location of Kintampo is strategic and it’s important that at all times we have the ambulance working. We hope other NGOs, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, and institutions will also support efforts to bring back ambulances that are out of commission,” he noted.

He disclosed that the government is working towards securing a dedicated budget line for the National Ambulance Service to improve maintenance and ensure ambulances across the country remain operational.

“The government is trying very hard to get us a budget line so that we can work around the clock and bring all ambulances back into service,” he revealed.

Dr. Owusu also highlighted ongoing efforts by the Ambulance Service to enhance emergency medical care by equipping Emergency Medical Technicians with advanced lifesaving skills.

“Beyond transportation, we are training our Emergency Medical Technicians not just to transport patients but to stabilize them before they are conveyed to the various receiving facilities. We are grateful for your support and believe the people of Kintampo will greatly benefit from this intervention,” he added.

Source: Felix NYAABA/ expressnewsghana.com