Story by: Nii Okpoti Odamtten / Muhammed Faisal Mustapha.
A high powered delegation of American envoys has toured key health institutions in the Greater Accra Region, engaging authorities on pressing challenges and exploring pathways for urgent support.
The five member delegation from Fredericksburg, Virginia, led by Kevin Dillard, including Dr. Patrick Neustatter, Greg Davis, Wayne Perry and Rev. Phyllis Cureton, on Friday visited the Greater Accra Regional Hospital popularly known as Ridge Hospital and the National Ambulance Service.
The visit, facilitated by the Impact World 360 Health and Humanitarian Foundation, formed part of efforts to deepen partnerships and provide support to Ghana’s health sector through direct engagement.
Accompanied by key members of the foundation including Alex Noi, Nana Noi and Teddy Carl Nartey, the delegation interacted with management of the institutions to gain first hand insight into operational challenges.
At the Ridge Hospital, Medical Director Dr. Leslie Isah Adam Zakaria made a passionate appeal for increased support, highlighting the growing strain on critical departments. He pointed to urgent needs in child health, maternity, obstetrics and gynecology, as well as trauma and orthopedics.
According to him, the facility continues to treat a high number of emergency cases, many of whom require complex and costly procedures but are unable to afford care.
“We handle severe trauma cases that require expensive implants and surgeries. These patients come in as emergencies, you simply cannot turn them away,” he stressed.
Similarly, the Director of Policy Planning, Research, Monitoring and Evaluation at the Ambulance Service, Dr. Simon Nyaaba, revealed that inadequate funding remains a major setback.
He explained that the service relies heavily on government subvention due to its inability to generate internal revenue, a situation that continues to hamper timely emergency response.
In response, the foundation’s coordinator, Nana Noi, announced a series of interventions aimed at strengthening emergency care at the grassroots level.
She disclosed plans to train commercial motorbike riders (Okada) and public transport drivers in basic first aid and emergency response, noting their critical role as first responders at accident scenes.
“Okada and taxi drivers are often the first to arrive at accident scenes. Equipping them with CPR skills and bleeding control techniques will significantly reduce fatalities before victims reach the hospital,” she noted.
The training programme, was held on April 11 at the forecourt of Osu Mantse Palace in Accra, which include free health screening and vital checks for participants.
The visit underscores growing international collaboration in addressing Ghana’s healthcare challenges, as stakeholders push for innovative and community driven solutions to save lives.
