Absence of ambulance at Ho Stadium leads to death of retired referee
Sports-loving people in the Ho Municipality are raising concerns about the unavailability of the National Ambulance Services at sporting events following the death of a police officer who doubles as a referee during a football match at the Ho Sports Stadium on Sunday.
Philip Nii Teye Lomotey, a popular police-cum-referee in Ho, died after collapsing during a football match at the Ho Stadium on Sunday.
Known popularly as PNT Lomotey, the police inspector and a retired referee, was watching the finals of the Volta FA Division Two middle league between Home Stars FC and Inter Allies FC when he collapsed at the VIP stand.
Mac-Billions Bansah, a fan at the match, spoke to Citi News and said, the availability of an ambulance at the facility during the match could have prevented the death of the officer.
The fans are calling on authorities to provide ambulance services at sporting events.
“During the second half of the game, we were all at the VIP stand when we heard the rush only to see him on the ground.
We tried to resuscitate him and also called on the Red Cross team.
They did their best, but it was beyond them, and he was rushed out of the stadium.
To our utmost dismay, there was no ambulance at the stadium to even convey the person to the hospital”.
If we had an ambulance at the time, he may have been treated or given the required help to help him live but we were told he was taken away to the hospital in another vehicle.
Moving forward, authorities should ensure ambulance services are provided at the stadium for any sporting activity.
“It is quite unfortunate this has happened but we hope they will learn from this”.
