Mahama’s ‘Onuado Vans’ being used to carry dead bodies at Korle Bu – Ex-MP

The mobile clinic vans, popularly known as ‘Onuado Vans’, purchased by the erstwhile Mahama government to provide emergency services, are being used to convey dead bodies at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Kojo Adu Asare, the Director in-charge of Special Duties at the National Democratic Congress has alleged.

The former Adentan Member of Parliament says he has witnessed instances where the vans which were specially designed to respond to specific health needs of Ghanaians, were used to carry dead bodies from wards to the morgue at Korle Bu.

Speaking on Asempa FM, Adu Asare complained that the practice is an indication of the Akufo-Addo government’s lax approach to dealing with health-related issues in the country.

“The Onuado Vans are being used to carry dead bodies. We bought those vans to provide special service. We have eye clinic in one. We have one that deals with heart-related issues and others. Do you know that those cars are being used to carry dead bodies? You can call Korle Bu now. It’s not hear-say and God is my witness. You can verify from Korle Bu. I saw it”, he said.

The Onuado Vans were unveiled by then President Mahama in 2015 to provide healthcare at hard-to-reach areas.

But the vehicles have been abandoned since the Akufo-Addo government came to power in 2017.

MPs on the Minority side have on several occasions appealed to the government to use the vehicles for the purpose for which they were bought.

Ranking member on Parliament’s Health Committee, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, said earlier this year that “these vans were brought into the country six years ago and were deployed to the ‘hard-to-reach’ areas, to provide services but unfortunately for more than 3 years, these vans have been packed here and it’s rotting away”.

But Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah says the vehicles are not fit for purpose.

“Onua dor vans are not ambulances, in any case, they are not fit for purpose, they are unmotorable”, he said.

He said in a Citi FM interview that, the vehicles do not meet the standard to execute the duties the NDC government bought them for.