Dr. Foster Ansong Bridjan, Acting Director of Operations has said that the National Ambulance Service (NAS) is facing a significant challenge with prank calls, which is hindering its ability to provide adequate prehospital services.
According to him, the service received over 10,000 prank calls last year, which is expected to rise this year.
These calls can divert ambulances and emergency responders away from genuine emergencies, leading to delayed responses and potentially life-threatening consequences.
In an interview with REPUBLIC PRESS, Dr. Bridjan emphasized that prank calls are a serious issue, with some days seeing 100 times more prank calls than real calls.
He appealed to the public to refrain from making such calls, as they take a toll on the service’s ability to provide prehospital care.
The recent tragic passing of Edward Borketey Sackey, an 18-year-old student, highlighted the need for first aid knowledge, Dr. Bridjan said, while sympathizing with the family. He called for intensified nationwide awareness creation of basic life support techniques.
Dr. Bridjan indicated that the NAS had started advocating for basic life support skills in schools and entreated the Ghana Education Service to include these skills in their curriculum.
He made these remarks during the Health Screening and Public Education program, which commemorated the NAS’s 20th anniversary.
The program, held at the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), offered free health screenings to over 300 people, including tests for blood sugar, hepatitis B, blood pressure, and body mass index.
The Director of Television (GBC), Akushika Acquaye, expressed gratitude to the NAS for the health screening exercise, noting its importance in alerting staff to their health status.
