The Head of Dispatch for the Ghana National Ambulance Service (NAS) in the Greater Accra Region, Joyce Avadzinu, has disclosed that the region is grappling with a severe shortage of ambulances, significantly hampering emergency response efforts.
In an interview with Citi News, Ms. Avadzinu revealed that only about 42 ambulances are currently available to serve the entire region — a number far below the demand in one of Ghana’s most densely populated areas.
“We are managing because, with the 42 ambulances, most of them will be on cases at the time a request comes. So, if the case is an inter-hospital referral and the patient can wait, we will make them wait,” she explained.
Due to this limited fleet, dispatchers are often forced to prioritize only the most critical emergencies, such as road traffic accidents (RTA) and sudden medical collapses. This means patients with non-life-threatening conditions may experience delays in receiving ambulance support.
Ms. Avadzinu noted that the dispatch team is in constant communication with various ambulance stations to ensure at least some vehicles remain available for urgent cases.
“Anytime we move an ambulance, we alert the stations to be on standby. When they return, we can dispatch them again. Although this is difficult, we still have to manage with what we have,” she said.
The revelation raises growing concerns about the strain on Ghana’s emergency healthcare system, particularly in Greater Accra, where population growth and road accidents continue to increase the demand for swift medical response.
The NAS has called for urgent intervention to expand the fleet and improve response times in the region.
