KwaZulu-Natal health MEC Nomagugu Simelane boosted her department’s emergency services by unveiling an R86m fleet of 44 ambulances on Wednesday in time for the influx of holiday tourists and high accident rate in the province.
Simelane said the department acknowledged the challenges which impacted emergency medical service (EMS) operations, including an ageing ambulance fleet and vehicle downtime, delays in maintenance and procurement processes, staffing constraints and increased call volumes.
She said the challenges have at times affected response times and placed additional pressure on frontline staff. The new ambulances were a “practical response to operational gaps and a step towards restoring capacity and reliability”.
Simelane said EMS played a critical role in ensuring pre-hospital care, patient stabilisation before arrival at health facilities and rapid responses in life-threatening situations.
“The work is performed under severe time pressure in unpredictable and high-risk environments, often at great personal sacrifice. There is a saying in EMS circles around the world that ‘an ambulance is hope on four wheels’.”
The consignment consists of 30 ambulances, eight dual stretcher vehicles and six 35-seater planned patient transport vehicles.
Simelane said the festive season put a heavy burden on EMS staff and the ambulances were “lifesaving resources” to assist in improving response times and emergency care.
She said ambulances and primary response vehicles would be deployed along pre-determined routes, in liaison with key stakeholders, including the South African National Roads Agency, Road Traffic Management Corporation and police.
Simelane said the department condemned attacks and assaults, intimidation and threats against EMS personnel.
“Such actions are criminal offences. They are a direct threat to public safety, and an attack on the public’s right to healthcare. We urge communities to protect EMS workers, isolate and report perpetrators, and to work with law enforcement to ensure accountability. No EMS worker should ever fear for their life while saving others.”
She said while service delivery remains the department’s priority and she was grateful to all medical personnel for their commitment to the festive season plans, she encouraged employees to look after their physical and mental well-being when the festive season is over by taking rest periods and annual leave.
TimesLIVE
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