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The Ghana Ambulance Service has denied charging patients fees before providing them services under emergency situations.
Its Director of Operations, Forster Ansong, said his outfit charges patients only when they are to be transported outside the jurisdiction of the contacted ambulance due to fuel challenges.
“When we gauge the fuel and it is not sufficient to cover the distance to and fro, that’s when we request for some fuel to top up what is available” he said in Twi on Angel FM’s Anopa Bofoↄ morning show.
According to Mr. Ansong, fuel provided by government is budgeted for and his outfit does not always receive the requested amount, therefore the Service is expected to efficiently use what is made available in order to avoid mishaps that may occur as a result of fuel shortage.
In his further submissions, he identified patients’ condition at the point of transportation as an indicator of whether or not a fee would be charged or fuel would be requested for.
He said there are times when patients are in stabilized state but would need to undergo certain examinations including scannings. Under such circumstances, the Ambulance service would request for fuelling assistance to save enough to cater for emergency cases that may arise.
He maintained that when it is not requested for and the available fuel gets used up, the emergency response service would have to employ other means including buying on credit to attend to those who may need urgent services.
Asked whether there is a standardisation in price for services they provide, the Director of Operations said charges are based on the distance covered in Kilometres.
“If say moving from Kumasi to Accra is 270 km, that together with the return journey would be 540 km. So they may charge for fuel of say 60 litres. And a litre is charged according to the price on the market.”
