Twenty-five of sixty-five ambulances are unavailable for service, with five deemed irreparable.
The Ministry of Health's ambulance fleet is operating at reduced capacity, with twenty-five of sixty-five vehicles currently out of service. Twenty ambulances are undergoing repairs or maintenance, while five are considered too old or damaged to be put back on the road. This situation raises concerns about the service's ability to meet demand, particularly during peak periods, as the SAMU handles emergency interventions, inter-facility transfers, and medical evacuations.
Minister of Health and Well-being Anil Bachoo informed Parliament that the twenty vehicles undergoing repair are expected to return to service. However, the five irreparable ambulances will not be replaced immediately. The ministry plans to acquire five new ambulances in the 2026-2027 budget to gradually replace aging vehicles. Bachoo also acknowledged that preventive maintenance had not been consistently performed and that a new system is being implemented to improve vehicle tracking and reduce downtime.
The current fleet reduction impacts the SAMU's capacity, which responded to fourteen thousand, six hundred seventy-three interventions in 2024. The planned acquisition of five new ambulances may not fully address the gap left by the twenty-five immobilized vehicles. The ministry is also reviewing staffing levels, with one hundred forty-four ambulance drivers and one hundred forty ambulance care attendants employed in 2024, to ensure personnel availability matches vehicle readiness.
Why it mattersTwenty-five ambulances are out of service, impacting the health ministry's ability to respond to emergencies and patient transfers.
Read in the ASJ desk →