Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie, the chairman of the health committee in parliament, has requested for an increase in the financial allocation for gasoline for the National Ambulance Service (NAS).
The Health Ministry has to reassess the funding given to the NAS, according to Dr. Ayew Afriyie, or it will have trouble getting its budget approved.
The Committee also ordered that the GHC 10 million set aside for Service operations be released on schedule.
"Going ahead, we want you to increase the NHIA formulas allocation to the ambulance service to take care of fuelling; if you do not increase it, we will find ways to impede your efforts to approve the budget.
He added, "I request the Ministry of Health to re-strike a deal so that there is a trade-off and they also agree that it is an emergency and they are going to ensure that there will be a provision that would raise the allocation to them from the GHC10 million.
The National Ambulance Service admitted that insufficient money is requiring staff to request "fuel support" before delivering patients in need of emergency services, which led to the Committee's demand.
The Chief Executive Officer of the National Ambulance Service, Professor Ahmed Nuhu Zakaria, explained before the Ad-hoc Committee looking into the death of a woman who passed away in route why the NAS crew needs "fuel support."
He claims that despite the fact that their services are meant to be provided without charge, a lack of resources has forced them to charge customers for gasoline.
"We were informed they had run out of petrol because it was close to the celebrations. He informed the Committee that the hospital received word that there wasn't enough gasoline and that they would want GH600 in support of fuel.
The Committee wrapped up its public hearing on Monday, and the House is scheduled to hear its conclusions and recommendations on Thursday.
Rockson Dafeamekpor, a representative for South Dayi, claims that the National Ambulance Service has no authority to request payment before transferring urgent cases.
"They are intended to get funding each year from the Minister of Finance, contributions, and NHIA formulas...
The National Ambulance Act 2020, Act 1041, Section 33, makes it illegal for anybody to collect payments from the general population. Budgetary restrictions should be brought up since it is a crime, he said.
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