One hundred and fifty seven Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians (AEMTS), including 42 females, have graduated from the Paramedic and Emergency Care Training School (PECTS) at Nkenkaasu in the Offinso North District of the Ashanti Region.
The graduants, constituting the fourth batch, bring the number to 472 AEMTs to have graduated at the school, thus adding up to 2,958 Emergency Medical Technicians staff of the National Ambulance Service (NAS) Emergency Medical Service (EMS) team nationwide.
They have since sworn the EMT Oath to deliver on their mandate and pledged to promote health as EMS practitioners to handle more complex cases as part of their duties to the credit of the profession.
Their graduation last Thursday, which was climaxed with a passing out parade, reviewed by Mr. Collins Augustine Ntim, Deputy Minister of Local Government, comes after a two-year intensive course of study in the areas of Anatomy and Physiology, Patient Assessment and Vital Signs, I.V. Access and Pharmacology, Trauma and Emergency Care, Medical, Behavioural, Environment and Obstetrics and Gynaecological Emergencies among others.
The course comprised classroom lectures, clinical attachments to hospitals, and ambulance station attachments.
Mr. Ntim, im addressing the passing out parade, stated that, despite the achievements chalked by the NAS, the Service was bedeviled with numerous challenges, which include lack of dedicated source of funding leading to inadequate financing of various activities, and lack of adequate infrastructure and capacity building facilities at the Paramedic and Emergency Care Training School.
He, however, pledged to make personal efforts to support and tackle the challenges and infrastructure inadequacies of the School.
He called on organisations, agencies and well meaning individuals to support the government to address the infrastructure deficits towards upgrading the School to University status to run Emergency Medicine programme.
He commended Prof. Ahmed Nuhu Zakariah, Chief Executive Officer of the NAS, for performing admirably during national emergencies and disasters, especially during the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nana Wiafe Ababio, the NAS Board Chairman, stated that the Service had seen a facelift under the government by giving it legal status with the institution of a Governing Board.
He assured the school that, the Board would work hand in hand with the management of the NAS and the Ministry of Health to strengthen and expand their services, to ensure that quality emergency care reached every corner of the country.
He advised the graduands to put up their best in serving the interests of their patients, by providing critical interventions in life or death situations.
He reminded the graduands that the trust bestowed upon them by society was immeasurable, and that it was essential that they approached their responsibilities with the utmost professionalism and empathy.
Nana Wiafe further reminded the graduands to remember that every call for help they received represents an individual or a family in crisis, and that their skills and actions would determine their fate.
He urged them to embrace privilege with humility, empathy, and unwavering commitment to excellence.
Nana Opoku Asiedu, Offinso Kokotihene and acting President of the Offinso Traditional Council, noted that, the NAS played a critical role in our health sector, and required the necessary support from the government to fulfill its mandate effectively.
According to him, the Training School was the sole institution that produced paramedics, and called on the government to develop it to international standards.
Awards were presented to AEMTs who excelled during their two-year period of training.
Christian Asare Bempong, emerged the Best Cadet in Academics, as well as the Overall Best Graduant.
He received a flat screen TV and a table top fridge for the two awards, in addition to a GH¢500 cash prize and a GH¢10,000 life insurance cover by Hollard Life Insurance.
The other awardees were Fati Larley (CEO’s Award), Kassim Pihkaga Zakaria (Best in Practicals) and John Kwabena Quansah (Best in Foot Drill).
