President John Dramani Mahama has dismissed claims circulating on social media that tricycles distributed under the Free Primary Healthcare Programme are ambulances. Speaking on the first day of his #ResettingGhana tour of the Northern Region, the President explained that the vehicles are designed to support community outreach, not emergency medical transport.
“Recently, at Dodowa, where I launched the Free Primary Healthcare Programme, we handed over equipment, including vehicles, for distribution to CHPS compounds. Among them were tricycles. Let me be clear for those who don’t understand the policy. Those tricycles are not ambulances. They are meant for the health workers and volunteers to commute from village to village for screening. The cooler compartments at the back of the tricycles are meant for vaccines,” President Mahama stated.
He further noted that in many rural communities, nurses commonly rely on motorcycles to reach patients. For those unable to ride motorcycles, tricycles provide a practical alternative. “Most of these health workers can ride motorcycles, and that’s what they use. Where many cannot ride themselves to work, they will use tricycles. So let me emphasise again. These are not ambulances, but vehicles meant to enhance community outreach under the Free Primary Healthcare programme,” he added.
President Mahama, who has consistently championed expanded access to affordable healthcare and preventive measures, urged the public not to be misled by what he described as “mischief” intended to distort government policy. He reaffirmed that the initiative is focused on strengthening preventive care, reducing costs, and ensuring vaccines and screening services reach even the most remote communities.
Leave a Reply