Kwabena Mintah Akandoh announces procurement of 100 new ambulances for 2027

Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has announced that the Ghanaian government plans to procure 100 new ambulances in 2027 to bolster the National Ambulance Service. This expansion is intended to enhance emergency medical response across the country. Alongside the procurement, the Ministry of Health is conducting a comprehensive review of the "One Constituency, One Ambulance" distribution model to determine if a more effective allocation strategy can be implemented for the incoming fleet.

During an interview with Joy News, Akandoh detailed the challenges the current administration encountered regarding the ambulance fleet. He disclosed that when President John Mahama’s administration took office in January 2025, they inherited a fleet that was largely uninsured and grounded. Since then, the government has prioritized the restoration of these vehicles, ensuring all government ambulances are insured. Currently, more than 200 ambulances have been returned to active service, significantly improving the national emergency response capacity compared to the start of the term.

The Minister emphasized that no final decision has been made on how the 100 new vehicles will be distributed. Options under consideration include maintaining the constituency-based model or prioritizing the replacement of non-functional vehicles in specific districts. Akandoh noted that the government is evaluating lessons learned from previous distribution efforts to ensure that the new resources are placed where they can provide the greatest benefit to the public.

In addition to the fleet expansion, the Ministry of Health is integrating technology into emergency care through the pilot of an electronic emergency bed management system. This system is designed to provide real-time data on bed availability at major hospitals, allowing ambulance crews to transport patients directly to facilities capable of receiving them. This initiative, combined with ongoing efforts to expand emergency department capacities at various major hospitals, represents a broader strategy to modernize and streamline Ghana's emergency medical infrastructure.