MP for Essikado calls for emergency medical services in Parliament

The Member of Parliament for Essikado-Ketan, Prof. Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah, has raised concerns about the lack of emergency medical services within the premises of Ghana’s Parliament.

Speaking on the floor of the House on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, she highlighted the urgent need for proper first aid measures, including the installation of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and the training of parliamentary staff in emergency response.

Prof. Ayensu-Danquah, a trauma surgeon, expressed her concern over the absence of emergency kits and medical services for parliamentarians and staff.

“Mr. Speaker, since I came into Parliament about a couple of weeks ago, I’ve gone around the entire premises, and I don’t see any emergency kits or any emergency services provided for us parliamentarians. I don’t see any AEDs in the bathrooms or hallways,” she stated.

Citing a recent incident where the former President’s Aide-de-Camp (ADC) fainted in the chamber, she noted that the response was below the standard of care required in such medical emergencies.

“The other day, we also saw how the former President’s ADC, who fainted in the chamber, was actually carted away. It was actually not per standard of care,” she added.

To address these gaps, the legislator proposed the establishment of an Emergency Services Committee within Parliament to assess and improve first aid and medical response systems.

“Mr. Speaker, as a trauma surgeon myself, I would like to propose that, maybe with your indulgence, we have a committee that might even have an emergency services team so that we can walk the premises and see how best we can help ourselves in the room,” she suggested.

She also offered to provide *emergency medical training, including Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and stroke care, to MPs, staff, and even drivers and domestic aides.

“We also have a stroke care training program. Maybe we offer some of these classes to our parliamentarians, and not just only parliamentarians but the staff, as well as perhaps our drivers and house helps, so that in case one of us is in trouble, at least there is someone who can perform first aid,” she explained.

Prof. Ayensu-Danquah emphasized that proper first aid significantly reduces morbidity and mortality, citing research that supports the effectiveness of early emergency interventions. She stressed that without basic life-saving equipment like AEDs, lives could be lost before victims reach a hospital.

“Should any one of us in this room have an emergency situation, I think that we probably may not make it to the nearest hospital. So we really need to look at that for us in this chamber and all of us in this Parliament,” she cautioned.

Her call has sparked discussions about enhancing emergency preparedness in Ghana’s Parliament to ensure the safety of lawmakers and staff.

By Henry Eliud Yankey

The post MP for Essikado calls for emergency medical services in Parliament first appeared on 3News.

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