Claim: Hamat N. K Bah, Minister of Lands, Regional Government and Religious Affairs claimed that community ambulances only exist in the Gambia throughout West Africa
Verdict: False. The claim by Hon. Hamat Bah, Minister of Lands, Regional Government, and Religious Affairs, that community ambulances don’t exist anywhere in West Africa and that they exist only in the Gambia is misleading.
Full Text
The claim made by Hamat NK Bah, Minister of Lands, Regional Government, and Religious Affairs, that community ambulances don’t exist anywhere in West Africa and that they exist only in the Gambia is misleading. Research has shown that ambulances are evenly distributed across communities, municipalities, and regions in other West African countries.
The claim was made during a recent meeting in Banjul as part of the President’s Meet the People’s Tour on Thursday, 4th December 2025.
The vice livestream generated over 96 reactions, 20 comments, 6 shares, and 5.5k views as of the time of this publication.
The Minister stated that President Barrow cannot give everyone a hospital, and that no country in the world can do it. He further states that the president created community ambulances.
“Community ambulances don’t exist anywhere in West Africa; they exist only in the Gambia. Even on the highways, you stationed ambulances, only the poor little Gambia has it.”
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The minister stated: “The development that the Gambia have in the health sector has never been registered. Adama Barrow scored a high score card in the health sector.”
The Minister stated that President Barrow cannot give everyone a hospital, and that no country in the world can do it. He further states that the president created community ambulances.
Verification
To verify the authenticity of the claims made by the Minister during the meeting in Banjul, InfoChecked decided to verify the claims and establish the facts.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) of Liberia received seven ambulances from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which were procured under the Accelerated Community Development Programme (ACDP), a flagship initiative of the Government of Liberia jointly implemented with UNDP.
The seven ambulances costing US$354,000 are to operate in “hard to reach” environments and communities in Bomi, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Nimba, Rivercees, and River Gee Counties.
Launched in November 2022, ACPD is a five-year program that was co-created and designed in consultation with stakeholders, including the government of Liberia, and represented by key line ministries, development partners, and community representatives, based on a feasibility study conducted in 2020.
The beneficiary communities are part of the 35 communities selected to benefit from the community ambulances after a feasibility study conducted in 2020 as part of the Accelerated Community
Development Programme.
In Ghana, the Community Development Alliance (CDA) through the Regional Health Directorate, handed over eight tricycle ambulances to communities in the Upper West Region that are hard to reach.
The initiative was to address emergency health transportation challenges in underserved communities as part of the innovative Health Project under the Ghana Country Innovation Programme.
The Ghana Health Service and the National Ambulance Service trained community-based tricycle operators and Community Health Management Committees of the beneficiary communities in Daffiama-Bussie-Issa, Lambussie, and Wa East Districts to ensure proper management of ambulances as part of their intervention.
In the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by the Nigerian Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, as he then was, with the private sector and other stakeholders for the operationalization of the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulances System (NEMAS), an initiative geared towards providing treatments to Nigerians during emergencies at no cost.
It stated the emergency medical service will provide along three routes: covering highways and roads; emergency coverage in the states and the Federal Capital Territory.
It further states that the rural ambulance service, in collaboration with local governments, the department, and primary health care centres, will meet the emergency needs of the rural community for access to maternal and child health during odd hours.
These countries have provided community ambulance services to various communities to address health challenges, achieve operational and professional excellence and provide a sustainable and well-maintained ambulance referral system to vulnerable communities.
On March 14, 2025, the Minister of Health and Social Action took delivery of 20 ambulances, which were acquired by the state of Senegal as part of their investment in the Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health (IMCHA) project with support from the World Bank.
The ambulances, the Minister of Health said, will be transported to remote areas of Tambacounda, Ziguinchor, Kolda, Sedhiou, Kaffrine and Kedougou to strengthen medical technical platforms, particularly in terms of care and rolling stock for medical emergencies, as well as addressing medical desert problems in remote areas in Senegal.
Conclusion
Based on the evidence gathered by InfoCheck, the claim made by Hamat NK Bah, the Minister of Lands, Regional Government, and Religious Affairs, that “Community ambulances don’t exist anywhere in West Africa; they exist only in the Gambia”, is false.
Our research has shown that various countries within West Africa have community ambulances to aid emergency medical services covering hard-to-reach communities.
By Momodou Janneh