The Speedboat ambulance which was presented to the Ghana Health Service to be used in Island communities along the Volta Lake in the Oti Region is in a deplorable state.
The ambulance which was brought as an innovative solution to eliminate the historical challenges in reaching island communities and ensuring improved access to health care Service during emergencies.
Additionally the boat was equipped with a metal anchor stowed in the tools compartment when not in use with attention to detail and adherence to specifications, the boat stands ready to meet the diverse of island communities in the Oti Region.
In a follow up to the abandoning of the speedboat ambulance.
Dr. Patrick Kumah Aboagye, the Director General of Ghana Health Service said the service had 29 boats but only seven are currently working and would need partnership to enable them manage the boats to establish a comprehensive boat management services.
He said, there are about 187 island communities distributed among four main districts and a hired commercial boat to provide healthcare to this islands cost each district a minimum of Ghc 10,000.
It has a population of 788,961 with nine administrative districts and the region is largely deprived of adequate health infrastructure couples with numerous very hard to reach communities and island communities which for approximately 30% of the regions population he said.
He added that measures are underway for the speedboat ambulance to book back to normal.