The National Ambulance Service says it has moved beyond simply transporting patients and is strengthening its role in delivering advanced pre hospital emergency care, as it rolls out reforms including improved training for emergency medical technicians, new operating standards, additional ambulances and plans for a dedicated budget.
The Chief Executive Officer of the National Ambulance Service, Dr George Kojo Owusu, says the Service has evolved into a provider of definitive pre hospital emergency care, marking what he described as a significant shift in how emergency medical services are delivered across Ghana.
Speaking at the 2025 Annual and 2026 Mid Year Performance Review Conference at the Fire Academy and Training School in Accra, Dr Owusu told senior management and Regional Administrative Managers that the Service’s guiding principle is now “Beyond Transport”, reflecting its expanded role in saving lives before patients reach hospital.
“We have moved beyond the idea that we only drive patients from point A to point B. Today, we can confidently say that we deliver definitive pre hospital care and ensure the timely transfer of patients to definitive care facilities,” he said.
As part of efforts to improve professional standards, Dr Owusu said the Service is completing an accreditation process with the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission to upgrade Emergency Medical Technician training from certificate programmes to accredited diploma and degree programmes.
He said the move would improve clinical skills, increase the number of Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians and expand the range of emergency interventions they can provide at accident scenes and other medical emergencies.
The CEO also announced plans to introduce mandatory recertification for Emergency Medical Technicians every three years, alongside continuous in service training to ensure personnel remain up to date with international best practices.
He said the Service would recruit and train more personnel to meet growing operational demands and reduce pressure on existing staff.
Dr Owusu also highlighted the introduction of the National Integrated Bed Management and Referral Coordination System, which provides health workers with real time information on available hospital beds.
He said the system would improve patient referrals and help tackle the long standing challenge of the “No Bed Syndrome.”
The Service is also developing Standard Operating Procedures for all Emergency Dispatch Centres across the country. These will provide clear guidance on emergency call handling, triage, prioritisation, destination decisions and pre arrival instructions for callers.
On regulation, Dr Owusu said the Ambulance Council would soon become operational to oversee public and private ambulance services, ambulance practitioners and Emergency Medical Technician training institutions to ensure compliance with national standards.
He further disclosed that government is at an advanced stage of procuring a new fleet of ambulances while also creating a dedicated funding mechanism for fleet maintenance and personnel training.
According to him, the National Ambulance Service is also expected to receive its own budget line in the next national budget, a move he described as a historic step towards ensuring predictable funding and the long term growth of emergency medical services in Ghana.
Dr Owusu said the reforms would strengthen the Service’s ability to provide quality pre hospital emergency care and improve emergency response for people across the country.
