Ghana to Add 100 New Ambulances in 2027 as Government Rethinks Distribution Model

Ghana’s government plans to add 100 brand-new ambulances to the national fleet in 2027 as part of efforts to strengthen emergency medical services. Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh announced the plan during an interview on Joy News’ PM Express, saying the government inherited a fleet with several grounded vehicles and none of the ambulances insured.

He said the government insured all its ambulances in 2025 and has since restored many to service, with more than 200 ambulances currently functioning. The distribution of the 100 new vehicles, however, has not been finalised, with the government reconsidering the previous “One Constituency, One Ambulance” model.

Akandoh said areas where existing ambulances are faulty or no longer operational could be prioritised, while the government assesses the strengths and weaknesses of the earlier system before deciding whether to retain or revise it. The expansion is being pursued alongside a national electronic emergency bed management system being piloted with a command centre at Ridge Hospital, giving health authorities visibility over available emergency beds and patients occupying them.

The system is also being integrated with ambulance services so emergency teams can identify facilities with available beds and determine where patients should be taken, while authorities can track patients who remain in emergency units for extended periods. Beyond the digital system, the Health Ministry is planning to expand emergency capacity at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Tamale Teaching Hospital and the 37 Military Hospital.

At Korle Bu, the minister said the emergency unit has about 67 beds, with a 400-bed facility under construction as part of a wider redevelopment programme, as the government works to address Ghana’s persistent emergency-care capacity challenges.