Health Minister, Kwaku Agyemang-Manu, has shrugged off what he believes to be rushed calls for over 40 ambulances imported into the country to be commissioned for use.

He told the host of Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, Daniel Dadzie, on Tuesday that calls for the ambulances to be distributed for use are politically motivated.

The 40 ambulances parked in front of Parliament are part of some 300 vehicles expected by December this year.

“The suppliers have not handed the vehicles to the Ministry yet…meaning pre-delivery inspection and other things haven’t been done…when the supplier hasn’t called you to say that these are your keys… how do we distribute the vehicles for use?” he asked.

The Minority National Democratic Congress in Parliament wants government to distribute ambulances immediately, stating that while the vehicles sit idle, many Ghanaians are losing their lives.

Kwaku Agyemang-Manu was on the SMS on Tuesday

Addressing the press in Parliament, the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Health Committee, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh urged the President to commission the ambulances, parked at the forecourt of the Parliament House, for use within three days.

Pressure group OccupyGhana has also questioned the Special Development Initiatives Ministry’s explanation for the delay in distributing ambulances.

“We can excuse the fitting of the trackers. We can even excuse the training of the paramedics. But what cannot be excused is the lack of receiving points for these ambulances.

“In emergency care, the stepwise care of the critically ill or injured goes by algorithms that are known as the “ABCDs.” They are important because following them leads to the saving of lives,” OccupyGhana said in a press release on Sunday.

But responding to these concerns on the Super Morning Show, the Minister said although the ambulances have arrived, some important technical provisions have not been completed.

He said apart from technical inspections, more emergency health workers would have to be trained to ensure the ambulances best serve their purpose.

He was also unsure whether a December 2019 deadline for the ambulance to hit the streets would be achieved.

Government promised some 300 ambulances last year when it emerged that 29 million Ghanaians depend on only 55 functional ambulances across the country.