The Member of Parliament for Weija-Gbawe, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, has raised concerns over the growing number of non-functional ambulances across the country, describing the situation as a major challenge to Ghana’s emergency response system.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, March 17, the Second Deputy Minority Whip revealed that some Members of Parliament have had to use personal funds to repair ambulances in their constituencies due to delays in maintenance.

He questioned how funds allocated for the servicing and upkeep of ambulances are being utilised, calling attention to what he described as a chronic under-resourcing of emergency services.

“Speaker, in Ghana, emergency care spans from the national ambulance service, hospital accident and emergency units, police and fire service, first response protocols and community-level health facilities, all of which are operating under conditions of under-resourcing. It’s become chronic, and there is structural neglect,” he stated.

Mr. Shaib stressed that the situation affects not only the Ghana National Ambulance Service, but also other critical institutions such as hospitals, the police, and the fire service, all of which play key roles in emergency response.

Amid the concerns, the Ghana National Ambulance Service has announced plans to strengthen its operations through the procurement of 400 new ambulances and 500 medical motorbikes.

The initiative is expected to improve response times and service delivery, particularly in hard-to-reach areas where access to emergency care remains a challenge.

The development comes as stakeholders continue to call for greater investment and accountability in Ghana’s emergency healthcare system to ensure timely and effective response to critical situations.