President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans to provide 100 new ambulances under next year’s budget to replace non-functional vehicles and improve emergency healthcare services across the country.
He said the intervention was necessary because a number of existing ambulances had broken down and required replacement.
President Mahama made the announcement during a question-and-answer session at the University for Business and Integrated Development Studies (UBIDS) in the Upper West Region.
He said districts and constituencies with non-functional ambulances would be prioritised under the replacement programme.
The President also disclosed plans to expand cancer treatment services beyond Ghana’s two major public oncology centres at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.
He said patients suffering from cancer and other serious conditions should not always be required to travel to Accra to access specialised treatment.
According to President Mahama, government is therefore working to establish additional cancer treatment centres in other parts of the country.
He said the expansion of oncology services was particularly important given the financial burden that serious illnesses place on families.
The President further assured the family of a woman whose medical condition was raised during the community engagement that government would obtain her details and refer her case to the Ghana Medical Trust Fund.
He said the Fund would assess her condition and determine the appropriate support required.
President Mahama said the Ghana Medical Trust Fund was established to assist Ghanaians suffering from expensive illnesses whose treatment costs could push families into financial hardship.
He said the government would continue investing in healthcare infrastructure, emergency response and specialised medical services to bring quality healthcare closer to communities.
Story by: Emmanuel Romeo Tetteh(#RomeoWrites✍️)/ Presidential Affairs Correspondent | Ghana 🇬🇭
