Grounded Ambulances are Accident, Faulty Vehicles Awaiting Major Repairs, Not Abandoned Fleet – National Ambulance Service
The National Ambulance Service (NAS) says the fleet of grounded ambulances shown in a recent investigative report are vehicles involved in accidents and those awaiting major repairs at its central workshop, and not an abandoned fleet as suggested.
The clarification comes in response to an investigative report by GHOne TV titled “Ambulances at ‘REST’ – Assessing Emergency Medical Response in Ghana” by Nurein Abass, which showed a number of ambulances grounded.
In a press release dated September 21, 2026, and signed by the Deputy Director of Public Relations, Mr. Simmons Yussif Kewura, the Service said it welcomes public scrutiny of emergency medical services as it strengthens accountability and service delivery, and that it had taken note of the footage.
Providing further context, the Service noted that as is public knowledge, in January 2020, the Government procured 307 Mercedes-Benz ambulances to establish at least one ambulance per constituency. After over six years of continuous operation on challenging terrains across the country with high utilization rates, it said, a proportion of the fleet has naturally suffered wear and tear, road traffic accidents, and mechanical faults requiring specialized parts and repairs.
On maintenance, the NAS said it operates a fleet maintenance system, however, like all emergency fleets globally, serviceability at any given time cannot be 100 percent. It said it is currently working closely with the Ministry of Health to expedite the procurement of spare parts and to operationalize its regional maintenance centres to reduce downtime.
On emergency response, the Service assured that despite the challenges, it remains operational in all 16 regions and continues to respond to an average of over 300 emergency cases daily nationwide, with its national emergency number 112 remaining active 24/7.
On capacity building, NAS said in line with its commitment to continuous improvement, as highlighted in recent reports, it is currently implementing a comprehensive clinical competency enhancement programme for all cadres of Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), including IV therapy, to address gaps identified in recent inquiries.
The Service expressed appreciation to GHOne TV and the EIB Network for highlighting matters of public interest, stating that it remains committed to transparency and will engage with the media house for further clarification, while assuring the public of its unwavering commitment to providing timely, safe and efficient pre-hospital emergency care.
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