CareFlight Ghana rolls out mobile stroke unit to bring emergency treatment to patients’ doorsteps

CareFlight Ghana, a private medical and emergency services provider, has introduced its first Mobile Stroke Unit in Ghana. This specialized ambulance is equipped with a computed tomography (CT) scanner, enabling it to diagnose and begin treatment for stroke patients before they reach a hospital. The unit aims to tackle issues like traffic congestion, limited hospital capacity, and difficulties accessing timely brain scans, which can worsen stroke outcomes and increase the risk of death or permanent disability.

At the launch ceremony at The Bank Hospital in Accra, Dr. Issaka Yakubu Akparibo, the Medical Director of CareFlight Ghana, highlighted that the unit will bring essential hospital care directly to patients, reducing waiting times for diagnosis and treatment. The specialized ambulance will be staffed by a doctor, critical care nurse, radiographer, and emergency medical technician, with remote support from a neurologist and radiologist.

Their roles include assessing patients on-site, monitoring their condition, conducting brain scans, and administering clot-dissolving medication if appropriate, before transporting the patient to The Bank Hospital for further care.

Dr. Akparibo stressed the critical nature of early intervention, stating that each minute lost after a stroke's onset corresponds to the loss of about two million brain cells. While the initial deployment of one unit was due to the high cost of the specialized equipment, CareFlight Ghana plans to expand the service. Dr. Hafiz Adam-Taher, Director of Technical Coordination at the Ministry of Health, welcomed the initiative, emphasizing its potential to expedite emergency healthcare delivery and bridge critical gaps in stroke treatment timelines.

He encouraged further expansion beyond Accra to reach other regions with limited access to specialist medical facilities.

Emergency physician Dr. Kenneth A. Ampoful from The Bank Hospital expressed enthusiasm for the partnership with CareFlight Ghana, noting that it could enhance early patient assessment, improve communication between emergency response teams and hospitals, and reduce the time patients spend waiting for appropriate treatment. Dr. Ampoful stressed that the service's success hinges on a coordinated chain of care, including the recognition of stroke symptoms in communities and the provision of pre-hospital treatment, hospital management, and rehabilitation.