Accra: The Prisons Clinic at Roman Ridge, Accra, has organised a road safety training programme and general medical screening exercise for drivers and orderlies of the Ghana Prisons Service as part of efforts to enhance road safety and promote the health of personnel.
According to Ghana Web, the programme, held on Sunday, June 7, 2026, at the Prisons Clinic in Roman Ridge, was organised in collaboration with the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA). The Officer-in-Charge and Administrator of the clinic, Assistant Director of Prisons (ADP) Dr Augustina Ama Boadu, highlighted the importance of regular medical screening in preventing road crashes and safeguarding the lives of drivers and road users. Dr Boadu, a public health expert, noted that research links driver ill-health to increased accident risks and emphasized that many drivers are often unable to undergo routine health checks or update their knowledge of road safety regulations due to work demands.
Dr Boadu remarked on the necessity for service drivers and orderlies to engage in periodic healthcare interventions and refresher training in road safety regulations. She stressed the importance of regular health monitoring for drivers, akin to vehicle inspections, to ensure safety on the roads. Dr Boadu also expressed appreciation to the Director-General of Prisons, Patience Baffoe-Bonnie, for supporting the initiative.
Felix Owusu Akyeaw, Director at the National Road Safety Authority, delivered a presentation on road safety, revealing road crash statistics from 2025 to the first quarter of 2026. He reported nearly 4,000 fatalities and close to 17,000 injuries, attributing crashes to human error, mechanical faults, poor road conditions, and health-related factors like sleep disorders and fatigue. Akyeaw commended the Ghana Prisons Service and the Prisons Clinic for their proactive measures to ensure the health and safety of service drivers and orderlies.
Assistant Chief Transport Officer, ADP Emmanuel Tetteh, expressed gratitude on behalf of the participants for the timely and beneficial intervention. He noted that the programme would significantly contribute to the effective deployment and performance of drivers within the Service's Transport Department.
The training and screening exercise is part of ongoing efforts by the Prisons Clinic to promote preventive healthcare and strengthen road safety awareness among personnel of the Ghana Prisons Service.