Following the announcement by His Excellency the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on 27th March, 2020 which restricted movement of persons resident in Greater Accra and Greater Kumasi and subsequent measures on Social Distancing in public transport services, some public transport service providers withdrew their services making access to public transport very difficult.
The Ministry of Transport in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Greater Accra Passenger Transport Executive (GAPTE) therefore met to discuss modalities to provide transport services to the general public and health workers within the affected areas.
This was to address the difficulties especially for essential health workers (nurses, midwives, doctors and other health workers) go through before getting to their workplace due to the restriction of movement.
The buses for essential health workers would run on specified routes at specific times within Greater Accra and Greater Kumasi. The identified routes are as follows:
| IN-BOUND ROUTES | NO. OF BUSES | OUT-BOUND ROUTES | NO. OF BUSES |
| Amasaman Hospital through Ofankor, Achimota Hospital, Circle to Ridge Hospital | 1 | CDB- Circle- Achimota Hospital- Ofankor- Amasaman Hospital | 1 |
| Amasaman Hospital through Ofankor, Achimota Hospital, Circle to Korle-Bu | 1 | ||
| Amasaman Hospital through Achimota Hospital, to 37 Hospital | 1 | ||
| Dodowa through Adenta Barrier, Legon Hospital, 37 hospital- Ridge- Korle-Bu | 2 | Korle-Bu- Ridge Hosptial- 37 Hospital- Legon Hospital- Adenta Barrier- Dowdowa | 1 |
| Kasoa to Accra through Mallam Junction- Kaneshie- Korle-Bu | 1 | Accra Central- Ridge Hospital- Kaneshie- Kasoa | 1 |
| Kasoa through Mallam Junction- Kaneshie – Circle- Ridge Hospital | 1 | ||
| Kasoa through N1 to 37 Hospital | 1 | ||
| Sakaman Junction- Dansoman round about through Banana inn to Mamprobi to Korle-bu | 1 | ||
| LEKMA Hospital through Spintex, Airport By-pass, 37 Hospital- Ridge hospital to Korle-Bu | 1 | ||
| LEKMA through the Nungua Beach Road- Osu- Ridge Hospital- Kprle-Bu | 1 | ||
| Oyibi through Zaanu- Ashiaman- Tema General Hospital | 1 | ||
| Adenta- Legon Hospital- 37 Hospital- Circle- Kaneshie Polyclinic- Cocoa Clinic | 1 | ||
| Ayimensah though Pantang- Westlands- Achimota Hospital , 37 hospital, Ridge Hospital to korle-bu | 1 | ||
| Tema Newtown through Comm.1- TMA- Tema General Hospital | 1 | ||
| Nungua Barrier through Urban Health- Hospital Road- Tema General Hospital | 1 | ||
| Pampram Junction through Dowenya- Motorway Roundabout- Tema General Hospital | 1 | ||
| Michel Camp through Ashiaman- Tema General Hospital | 1 | ||
| TOTAL | 21 | ||
| KUMASI OPERATIONS | |||
| Abuakwa- Kejetia | 2 | ||
| Pakyi- Kejetia | 2 | ||
| Ejisu – Kejetia | 2 | ||
| Kodee- Kejetia | 2 | ||
| Mamponteng- Kejetia | 2 | ||
| Kenyase- Kejetia | 1 | ||
| Ampabme-Kejetia | 1 | ||
| Barekesse- Kejetia | 2 | ||
| Sofo Line – Nkawie (Toase)
|
1 | ||
| TOTAL | 16 | ||
3.0 MODE OF OPERATIONS
Health workers within the affected areas would be required to show an identification before they would be allowed to board the buses. The buses would operate based on the schedule below:
| INBOUND SERVICES | OUTBOUND SERVICES | |
| Morning | 6:30 am – 9:00am | 6:30 am – 9:00am |
| Afternoon | 11:30am – 2:00pm | 11:30am – 2:00pm |
| Evening | 6:30pm – 8:30pm | 6:30pm – 8:30pm |
Focal persons have also been identified in the various health facilities (Health Zones) and would coordinate the services for their respective facilities. The contact details for the zones in Accra are as follows:
| ZONE(S) | COORDINATOR’S NAME | TELEPHONE NUMBERS |
|
AMASAMAN
|
MR. BERNARD POLLEY |
0208981981 / 0240419051 |
|
TEMA
|
MR. FRANCIS OWEN |
0244113356 |
|
KASOA
|
MR. ABDULAI TANKO IDDI |
0244624656 |
|
TESHIE/37
|
MR. GEORGE BOAKYE YIADOM |
0553096907 |
|
MADINA
|
MR. PETER GALGA |
0244658444 |
|
KORLE-BU
|
MR. JOSEPH GRANT ABAM |
0542392111 |
OVERALL COORDINATOR
- JOHN ACHANA – 0244709006
4.0 STATUS OF OPERATIONS
The services commenced on Monday 6th April, 2020 with an initial fleet of fifteen (15) buses on selected routes in Accra, Tema, Kasoa, Amasaman and other major corridors. The buses call at designated points at health facilities to load and offload passengers. Focal persons have also been identified in the various health facilities and coordinate activities and the loading points.
In all, thirty-seven (37) buses would be deployed to pick health workers in Greater Accra and Greater Kumasi. In addition, the traditional services being provided by Aayalolo is also available to health workers for free.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh