A six-year-old boy has lost his life due to the unavailability of an ambulance at St. Martins Hospital at Agomanya in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality of the Eastern Region.

The boy was knocked down by a vehicle and rushed to the hospital yesterday [Sunday] afternoon with severe head fracture and internal bleeding.

He was referred to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital due to his critical condition, however, there was no ambulance to convey the patient for emergency attention.

An eyewitness who helped to rescue the boy to the hospital in an interview with Starr News said there was no ambulance in the district to convey the boy.

Information gathered by Starr News indicated that the entire Lower Manya Krobo has been without an ambulance for several months as the only ambulance had broken down.

Also, Yilo Krobo municipality which shares a boundary with Lower Manya also lacks an ambulance creating an uncomfortable situation for doctors and nurses in Akuse and Atua Government Hospitals as well as other health facilities in the districts.

Patients in critical conditions are transported in commercial vehicles. Several deaths have occurred in the districts as a result of the situation.

The Lower Manya Municipal Health Director, Dr. Akosua Owusu Sarpong, told Starr News’ Eastern Regional Correspondent, Kojo Ansah, that the situation was creating a distress for healthcare in the district.

According to her, doctors in the municipality have been lamenting over the absence of ambulances in the district and its effect on quality healthcare.

According to her, she has made several efforts by writing letters to the district assembly, government, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) but to no avail.