National Ambulance Service Shifts Focus Beyond Patient Transport, CEO Unveils Major Reforms

The National Ambulance Service (NAS) is redefining its role in Ghana's healthcare system by placing greater emphasis on delivering advanced pre-hospital emergency care rather than simply transporting patients.

This was announced by the Chief Executive Officer, Dr. (Med) George Kojo Owusu, at the 2025 Annual and 2026 Mid-Year Performance Review Conference in Accra.

Dr Owusu said the Service's guiding principle, "Beyond Transport," reflects its transformation into a provider of definitive emergency care before patients reach the hospital.

Addressing top management and Regional Administrative Managers at the Fire Academy and Training School, he noted that the Service has made significant progress over the years and is now better equipped to provide higher-quality emergency medical interventions nationwide.

"We have moved beyond the idea that we only drive patients from point A to point B. Today, we deliver definitive pre-hospital care while ensuring patients are transferred promptly to facilities where they can receive definitive treatment,” he said.

To strengthen professional standards, Dr Owusu announced that the Service is in the final stages of securing accreditation from the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) to upgrade Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) training from a certificate programme to accredited diploma and degree programmes.

He explained that the transition will enhance the professional status of EMTs, improve their clinical skills, and enable the Service to train and recruit more Advanced EMTs. It will also broaden the scope of practice for emergency personnel, allowing them to provide more advanced life-saving interventions at emergency scenes.

As part of efforts to maintain high professional standards, the CEO revealed that EMTs will undergo mandatory recertification every three years, supported by continuous in-service training to keep personnel updated on global best practices in emergency medical care.

On emergency referrals, he highlighted the Government's deployment of the National Integrated Bed Management and Referral Coordination System, which provides healthcare providers with real-time information on bed availability across health facilities.

He said the system is expected to improve patient referrals and help address the persistent challenge of the "No Bed Syndrome" by enabling quicker identification of facilities with available capacity.

The CEO further disclosed that the Service is developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all Emergency Dispatch Centres across the country. The guidelines will standardise emergency call handling, patient triage, destination selection, and the provision of pre-arrival instructions to callers.

Dr Owusu also pointed to ongoing regulatory reforms, announcing that the Ambulance Council will soon become operational and will oversee public and private ambulance services, regulate ambulance practitioners, and supervise EMT training institutions to ensure compliance with professional standards.

Looking ahead, he said the government plans to procure a new fleet of ambulances while establishing dedicated funding for fleet maintenance and personnel training.

He described the planned reforms as a major milestone for the National Ambulance Service, revealing that the institution is expected to receive its own budget line in the next Government of Ghana budget.

Grace Acheampong, ISD

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