By Ashiadey Dotse
The National Ambulance Service says 127 out of its 318 ambulances across the country are currently not working.
The Clinical Auditor for the Southern Zone of the Service, Martin Ewuah Amoah, disclosed this in an interview on The Point of View on Channel One TV on Monday, February 23, 2026.
According to him, only 191 ambulances are currently in operation, while 127 are out of service.
“We have 318 stations, but currently we have 191 in commission and 127 out of commission for obvious reasons. An ambulance has a lifespan of five years. After five years, there should be steps to replace them. Otherwise, like any vehicle, high maintenance issues will arise if we are unable to get a new fleet to replace old ones,” he explained.
Mr Amoah said the situation is largely due to the age of the ambulances, adding that without timely replacement, maintenance problems are unavoidable.
His comments follow the death of 29-year-old engineer Charles Amissah, who was involved in a hit-and-run accident at the Circle Overpass in Accra on February 6, 2026.
Mr Amissah, an employee of Promasidor Ghana Limited, producers of Cowbell milk and other food products, was reportedly stabilised by Emergency Medical Technicians from the National Ambulance Service.
However, he was allegedly turned away by three major hospitals in Accra, Ridge Hospital, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, and Police Hospital, over nearly three hours due to a lack of bed space. He later died.
The incident has renewed public concern about emergency healthcare delivery and the need for improved resources for both ambulance services and hospitals across the country.
