Two platoons of paramedics drawn from the National Ambulance Service have completed basic training in counter-terrorism at Boti, near Huhunya, in the Yilo Krobo Municipality of the Eastern Region.
The paramedics are components of the Rapid Response Team, made up of all the security agencies in the country, for the coming general elections and beyond.
Their training sessions alternate between the Asutsuare Military Training Center and the Police high risk operation training base at Boti.
However, security experts differ in opinion, describing it as exposing the medical personnel to possible attacks by armed groups.
Medical personnel are exempt from attacks during armed conflicts because they are not armed and together with religious organisations perform humanitarian duties.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the National Ambulance Service, Mr Simon Kewura, in a telephone conversation with The Chronicle stated that the trained personnel have been deployed across the country and have been selected for the purpose of the training in counter terrorism.
He described as false reports going round that the trainees have been recruited from elsewhere, other than National Ambulance Service personnel, before undergoing the specialist course.
Mr Kewura went on that, due to the increase in global terrorists attacks, it has become imperative for the paramedics whose duties take them to conflict areas to prepare for self defense in case of any eventuality.
According to him, the service rented the two facilities at Asutsuare and Boti (Huhunya) where trainings were conducted at the square (parade ground where regimental discipline begins), unarmed combat, obstacles crossing and steeplechase amongst others.
The PRO continued that, the paramedics having acquired the basic training in self defense enables them to fit into the National Rapid Response Team as a component to perform its core functions devoid of any intimidations.
On the role of the National Ambulance Service personnel with the Rapid Response Team on Election Day, Mr Kewura opined that it would not be different from its core function, such as pre hospital care of medical evacuation (medevac) of anyone in actual need.
The paramedics, like other components of the team return to their respective units, he said.
The spokesperson concluded by saying that the paramedics are fully equipped with the consumables to deliver on that day and after. The security experts with experiences in global conflicts management were skeptical, commenting on the training of National Ambulance Service paramedics in counter terrorism especially when these persons during conflicts enjoy some leverage due to the nature of humanitarian duties that they perform.
Their first caution is if an enemy doubts the credibility of a supposed unarmed humanitarian services provider, the safety of such a team cannot be guaranteed.
This occurs when there is intelligence to the enemy that the service provider might be used as a shield, hence compromise credibility.
According to the experts who prefer anonymity for now, some of the institutions which are part of the response team, the police and military, for instance, already have medical staff who could be drafted as that component instead of offering extra training to civilian paramedics to adapt to a system that is now raising mistrust and placed the very lives of the paramedics in danger since the possibility of them being attacked is high.
There is growing suspicion in the media that paramedics of the National Ambulance Service who have benefitted from basic counter terrorism training are going to be used for unknown assignments, especially during the upcoming general elections.
The post Ambulance service personnel undergo training in counter terrorism appeared first on The Chronicle Online.
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