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Efforts underway to reduce vehicle downtime and clear all unserviceable vehicles from workshop
The National Ambulance Service (NAS) has commenced a 24-hour engineering operation to restore all grounded ambulances to full operational service and clear its central workshop of all unserviceable vehicles.
The intervention, dubbed "𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐅𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐭", is part of urgent measures instituted by Management following concerns raised about the state of some ambulances in a recent media report.
A visit to the NAS central workshop shows engineers and technicians working around the clock to repair vehicles that have developed major faults after six years of continuous operation across the country. As part of the operation, 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐜𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 to decongest the facility and create space for speedy repairs.
Speaking on the exercise, the Chief Executive Officer of the Service, 𝐃𝐫. (𝐌𝐞𝐝) 𝐆𝐞𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞 𝐊𝐨𝐣𝐨 𝐎𝐰𝐮𝐬𝐮, said the operation is aimed at drastically reducing vehicle downtime and ensuring that every serviceable ambulance is returned to the road.
"For over six years, the 307 ambulances procured in 2020 to ensure one-ambulance-per-constituency have been working 24/7 on very difficult terrains. It is normal that a portion of the fleet will require major repairs, specialized Mercedes-Benz parts, and assessment after accidents. What we are doing now is working around the clock to restore them," Dr. Owusu stated.
He disclosed that to accelerate the restoration, 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐟𝐟 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩, 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐞𝐰 relative to the volume of work.
He added that Management has already engaged the Ministry of Health with a comprehensive plan for sustainable spare parts procurement and the establishment of regional maintenance capacity to prevent future accumulation of grounded vehicles.
Dr. Owusu assured Ghanaians that despite the challenges, all 16 regions maintain a level of functionality and remain operational and continue to respond to emergency cases daily via the 112 emergency line.
"Our commitment remains unchanged: timely care saves lives. We are not at rest; we are at work to ensure that when Ghanaians call 112, help will come," he emphasized.
Operation Restore Fleet is expected to be completed within the coming weeks, with regular updates to be provided to the public.
