Prank calls overwhelm Ambulance Service

The Acting Director of Operations for the National Ambulance Service (NAS), Dr Foster Ansong Bridjan, has disclosed that the service 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, a number 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,” he stated.

He said that prank calls are a serious issue, with some days seeing 100 times more prank calls than real calls.

Dr Bridjan 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 and sympathised with the family, while calling for intensified nationwide awareness creation on basic life support techniques.

He 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.

Dr. Bridjan 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.