Parliament laments governments failure to enact ambulance law

The Chairman of the Parliamentary select Committee on Health, Collins Ntim, has observed with grave concern the failure of successive governments to cause for enactment a law to regularize the establishment and operations of the National Ambulance Service since its creation in 2004. 

According to him, even though a bill brought to Parliament for an Act to give legal backing to the Service has eventually been withdrawn with an excuse of sending it back to Cabinet for approval. 

The situation is contributing to the challenges in the operations of the Service. 

Mr. Ntim said this at Nkenkaasu in the Offinso North district of Ashanti during the passing ceremony for the second batch of Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians of the National Ambulance Service, NAS. 

The trainees bring to 215 the number of Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians and a total of Emergency Medical Technicians of the NAS to one thousand, 640. 

They underwent two year studies in courses such as Cannulization and Intravenous Fluid Administration, Synchronized Cardioversion, Endotracheal Intubation and Mass Casualty Incident Management. 

Mr. Ntim, who is also MP for Offinso North, gave the assurance that the Parliamentary Select Committee is prepared to facilitate the passage of a Bill meant to regularize the NAS brought before Parliament. 

He therefore urged the Ministry of Health to speed up work on the NAS bill for towards ensuring that the Service becomes fully operational as an agency under that Ministry.

The Deputy Minister of Health, Tina Naa Ayeley Mensah, stressed that morbidities and mortalities caused by time-sensitive ailments could be significantly reduced through an efficient emergency medical service system or the Ambulance Service. 

Madam Mensah commended management of the NAS for the various initiatives taken over the years towards the Service’ efficiency including capacity building of the Technicians. 

The Deputy Health Minister assured them of the commitment of the government towards addressing their operational challenges.

GBC