Moving Health has officially launched and donated ten custom-built, GPS-equipped tricycle ambulances. The move is to bridge the gap in emergency healthcare accessibility for Ghana’s rural populations.
These locally manufactured vehicles will serve communities across the Sissala West District in the Upper West Region and the Kassena Nankana West District in the Upper East Region, with official handovers occurring on June 16th and 23rd, respectively.
This initiative is the culmination of extensive community engagement, surveys, and collaboration with local stakeholders, all undertaken to understand the formidable transportation challenges faced by residents in reaching critical healthcare services. The project falls under the
Country Innovation Platform (CIP) Pilot Program, a national endeavor supported by Grand Challenges Canada (funded by the Government of Canada), in partnership with the Ghana Health Service, USAID’s Center for Innovation and Impact (CII), USAID/Ghana, Grand Challenges Canada, and AMP Health. The CIP program is designed to test and scale innovative solutions aimed at improving maternal, newborn, and child health outcomes across Ghana.
Over the next 12 months, this pilot program will meticulously evaluate the effectiveness of these ambulances in reducing delays in emergency referrals, with a particular focus on pregnant women experiencing complications in remote areas where transportation remains a significant barrier to timely healthcare. Beyond vehicle deployment, the program also includes comprehensive training for drivers, health personnel, and community stakeholders to ensure proper usage, maintenance, and effective emergency response coordination, in collaboration with the National Ambulance Service and Ghana National Fire Service.
The five beneficiary communities in Sissala West are Fatchu, Kankanduali, Jeffisi, Du West, and Tiwii. In Kassena Nankana West, the communities of Mirigu, Busongo, Katiu, Wuru, and Kajelo have received the new ambulances.
Each tricycle ambulance has been specifically engineered to navigate challenging rural terrain, offering a safer and faster alternative to traditional, often inadequate, modes of transport such as motorbikes, bicycles, or walking, which have historically led to tragic delays in care. Each vehicle is outfitted with a standard stretcher bed, seating for up to three people, a storage cabinet, an Oxygen concentrator, and GPS sensors.
These GPS sensors are connected to Moving Health’s live Ambulance Tracking and Maintenance Dashboard, which provides real-time ride data, usage monitoring, and maintenance records, even with offline capabilities. This system ensures transparency and provides critical data to Moving Health, health authorities, and partners to support informed decision-making and continuous improvements. Moving Health’s comprehensive approach integrates vehicle deployment with community engagement, capacity building, and digital innovation.
During the official handover ceremony, Dr. Mathias Tengan, Sissala West District Health Director, expressed profound gratitude, stating, “Our terrain is very bad, most of the communities are inaccessible particularly during the rainy season. So it is very difficult for the National Ambulance Service (NAS) to move to those hinterlands to bring patients, particularly pregnant women who need to be moved to the higher level of care. So the Moving Health ambulances is coming in at the right time to fill this gap, complementing the efforts of the NAS.”
Mr. Alhassan Lawal, Kassena Nankana West District Health Director, also remarked, “It is refreshing that Kassena Nankana West District among all the districts in the Upper East Region was selected to pilot the Country Innovation Platform Program with Moving Health. The Moving Health Ambulances is coming in to address concerns we have had in the past. The design is fit for purpose and it has an oxygen concentrator.”
Tommie Gbene Juatie, Facility Incharge of Jeffisi Health Center and a representative from the beneficiary communities, highlighted the current difficulties: “Sometimes we use the aboboya, without any cushion or cover, and the client is exposed. When you are in labor, this is not a comfortable experience.”
Stephanie Nmaju, Programs Manager at Moving Health, shared during the launch, “We believe every second counts in the case of an emergency. After several interactions with selected communities, it is clear no one should have to walk for several hours, feel uncomfortable, or be unsafe just to reach the nearest health facility.”
Isaac Amoah Quansah, Country Director and Chief Technology Officer at Moving Health, concluded, “The Moving Health ambulances are carefully designed for the roads, and it is more comfortable in transporting emergency cases compared to existing options such as motorbikes.”
Moving Health’s integrated approach aims to ensure that no one is left behind when it comes to accessing life-saving healthcare, combining vehicle deployment, community involvement, training, and digital innovation.
