W/R Ambulance Service facing operational challenges

A visit by the western regional Minister to the Regional Ambulance Service appears to have exposed difficulties and challenges being experienced by the Service and which are hindering the smooth delivery of its core mandate.
The Service is currently operating with 21 ambulances, two of which are undergoing repairs due to mechanical faults, Regional Manager, F.B. Manu, has informed the Regional Minister, Joseph Nelson.
According to Regional Manager, the service faces several challenges, including inadequate office space, insufficient staff, and limited resources.

Key Challenges he identified included office accommodation, Regional Dispatch centre and administrative operations.
He explained for instance that, the Takoradi Ambulance station, Daboase and Amenfi Central were operating from the Regional Headquarters due to lack of office space.
That aside, the Regional Dispatch Centre is also not spacious enough and lacked the necessary facilities, thereby, making it difficult to coordinate distress calls efficiently.
The regional administrative operations, he added, are confined to a single room, hindering efficient work.

Regional Manager Manu further told the Minister that the service has only 130 staff, with some Districts having as low as 4 to 5 personnel as against the recommended 12.
He informed the Minister that the Regional Ambulance Service had responded to 1,842 distress calls in the past year, including 232 maternal-related cases.

With the right support and resources, the service can continue to deliver essential emergency medical services to the region.
He consequently appealed to the Regional Minister Joseph Nelson, to assist in addressing these challenges.

Responding, Regional Minister Joseph Nelson acknowledged the difficulties faced by the ambulance service and assured them of his support.
He emphasised the critical role the service plays in health delivery and urged the staff to prioritise saving lives above all other considerations.

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