Takoradi, Oct. 17, GNA - The second in a series of training workshops for ambulance drivers and health professionals to develop responsive emergency medical service opened at Takoradi on Monday with a call on relevant institutions to step up public education on accidents and their prevention.

Participants were taken through emergency, defensive driving, basic life supporting skills and trauma management.

The first in the series was organised in Sunyani recently for ambulance drivers and health professionals from Ashanti, Eastern and Brong Ahafo regions.

Major Courage Quashigah (RTD), the Minister of Health, said stakeholders in the health and road sectors should consider the role of the media and how to use them more effectively in accidents prevention since most of them occur out of ignorance or deliberate failure to do the right thing.

The government has procured 50 ambulances while Iran has donated 41 to enhance the operations of the emergency medical service. The Minister noted with concern that road traffic casualties increased from about 8,500 in 1994 to 12,400 in 2004 and said every thing must be done to reverse the trend.

The ceremony coincided with the presentation of six ambulances donated by Iran to the Ministry of Health in the Western Region. The ambulances, worth about 225,000 dollars, would be distributed to government health facilities at Wassa-Akropong, Enchi, Bibiani, Asankrangwa, Tarkwa and Effia-Nkwanta.

Mr Anthony Evans Amoah, the Western Regional Minister, said the extension of the emergency ambulance service to the region would provide early treatment to people in need of urgent medical care and rapid transportation to hospital.