Martin Ewuah Amoah, Clinical Auditor for the Southern Zone of the National Ambulance Service, has said 127 out of the Service’s 318 ambulances are currently not operational.

In an interview with Bernard Avle on Channel One TV on Monday, February 23, 2026, he noted that only 191 ambulances are in commission, with 127 out of service.

“We have 318 stations, but, currently, we have 191 in commission [functional] and 127 out of commission [not working] for obvious reasons because an ambulance has a life span of 5 years.

“So, after five years, there should be some steps to replace them. Otherwise, like any vehicle, high maintenance issues will crop up if we’re not able to get a new fleet to replace old ones,” he explained.

The disclosure follows the death of 29-year-old Charles Amissah after a hit-and-run incident at the Circle Overpass in Accra on February 6, 2026.

Amissah, an engineer with Promasidor Ghana Limited — producers of Cowbell milk and other food products — was reportedly stabilised by Emergency Medical Technicians from the National Ambulance Service.

He was, however, allegedly turned away by three major Accra hospitals — Ridge Hospital, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and the Police Hospital — over a period of nearly three hours because of the lack of available bed space. He subsequently died.