Apiate explosion: ‘One constituency-One ambulance’ initiative saved lives

Shot of ambulances on the ground in Apiate Shot of ambulances on the ground in Apiate

Officials of the Aseda Hospital at Bogoso have praised the timely presence of ambulances during the rescue and treatment of the victims of the devastating explosion which occurred at Appiatse, close to Bogoso, on Thursday.

According to the doctors and nurses, the 11 ambulances which came from the adjoining districts to support the victims were critical to saving lives, and providing timely medical care to the several dozen people who got injured after a vehicle conveying mining explosives collided with a motorbike, burst into flames and exploded.

The ambulances were procured under the government’s innovative ‘One Constituency One Ambulance’ programme, under which over 300 ambulances were purchased to re-tool the National Ambulance Service and make healthcare more accessible to the ordinary Ghanaian.

Taking the Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia and other members of a government delegation round the beds of some victims of the blast on Friday, the administrator of the Health Centre, Elizabeth Abaka said the ambulances were ‘life-saving’, facilitating the stabilisation and swift transportation of victims to health facilities, including Aseda, and commended government for the initiative.

Addressing the media after the visit, Bawumia thanked, on behalf of government, the doctors and nurses at the facility for the “fantastic job” they continue to do to save lives.

“Their early intervention yesterday has helped a lot. We want to assure all those patients in there and their families that Government is going to be responsible, fully, for all their medical bills and anything else associated with their recovery. So everything else you let us know,” he assured.

Bawumia also thanked the emergency response teams, the Ghana Ambulance Service, police, fire service, NADMO, Ghana Armed Forces, health personnel, security and people within the town and adjoining communities who came to the aid of the injured.