Ghana is currently without any locally run paramedic training programmes, raising concerns about capacity development within the country’s emergency medical services system.

The disclosure comes at a time when the operations and preparedness of the National Ambulance Service are under intense public scrutiny, following recent emergency response challenges that have sparked nationwide debate.

According to officials, individuals who wish to practise as paramedics must seek professional training outside Ghana before returning to work in the country.

This situation, observers say, presents a major gap in the development of advanced pre-hospital emergency care.

Ambulances designated for emergency response are equipped with basic life-support tools, but the sophistication of equipment on board often depends on the level of training of the assigned personnel.

The service operates with varying cadres of staff, including Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), paramedics and Advanced EMTs, each authorised to perform specific procedures.

Speaking in an interview with Channel One TV on Monday, February 23, 2026, the Clinical Auditor for the Southern Zone of the National Ambulance Service, Martin Ewuah Amoah, confirmed that the country does not currently run paramedic programmes.

“Currently, the country is not running paramedic programmes. So, for somebody to be able to practise as a paramedic, you need to go outside to study and come back,” he stated, adding that the level of equipment installed in ambulances depends on the qualifications of staff on duty.

His remarks follow the death of 29-year-old Charles Amissah, an engineer with Promasidor Ghana Limited, who was involved in a hit-and-run accident at the Circle Overpass in Accra on February 6, 2026.

Although he was stabilised by emergency personnel, he was reportedly unable to secure admission at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and Ghana Police Hospital due to lack of bed space and later died — an incident that has intensified calls for reforms in emergency and hospital care systems.