Government inherited uninsured, grounded ambulances – Health Minister

Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has disclosed that the government inherited an ambulance fleet in which none of the vehicles was insured, while several others were not operational.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Wednesday, Mr Akandoh said the condition of the ambulance fleet was among the challenges the government faced after assuming office.

He said the government moved to address the insurance situation in 2025 by insuring all ambulances in the fleet.

“We came to hear a situation where none of our ambulances were insured. And so in 2025, we insured all our ambulances,” he said.

The Minister also acknowledged concerns about the availability of ambulances across the country, saying a number of vehicles were grounded when the government took office.

“When we took office, there were a lot of them that were grounded,” he said.

However, Mr Akandoh said the situation has since improved, with more than 200 ambulances currently operational.

“But as I speak to you now, we have more than 200 ambulances functioning,” he said.

He further announced that the government plans to add 100 new ambulances to the national fleet in 2027.

The Minister said government has not yet decided whether the new ambulances will be distributed under the previous administration’s “One Constituency, One Ambulance” model.

“We have not taken the decision yet,” he said.

Mr Akandoh, however, suggested that priority could be given to areas where existing ambulances are faulty or no longer functional.

He said government is also reviewing the previous distribution system to determine whether it should be maintained or adjusted.

“We’ve tried that system — can we continue, or do we have to review it as a country?” he asked.

According to the Minister, government will retain systems that have proven effective, stressing that governance is a continuous process.

“If we think that that system has served us well, why do we have to revamp?” he added.