Parliament has approved €18.8 million euros loan to procure an additional 112 ambulances for the National Ambulance Service.

The loan agreement is between the Government of Ghana represented by the Ministry of Finance and the Deustche Bank AG, Frankfurt am Main for an amount of €18,815,000 including Euler Hermes premium guarantee to finance the supply of ambulances and related training and maintenance services.

A report presented by the Finance Committee said the government, through the Ministry of Special Development Initiatives, procured and distributed 307 ambulances to augment the existing 50 ambulances across the country.

The number was however inadequate.

Following that, the government is procuring additional 112 ambulances to augment the current fleet.

The funding for the buses was provided by the Deutsche Bank AG.

The Committee also observed that the country needs in excess of 1,000 ambulances to be able to provide pre-hospital care and handle the inter-facility transfer.

The Chairman of the Committee, Dr Mark Assibey Yeboah said approval of the facility for the supply of 112 ambulances for the National Ambulance Service will support the country’s health system to function effectively at all levels.

According to him, the additional ambulances would help to improve emergency healthcare delivery, improve the country’s emergency response and reduce the morbidity of patients with emergency conditions; Provide immediate and effective life-saving care in a safe and clinical working environment; and generally improve healthcare.