The Northern Cape Department of Health was recently scrutinised over a lack of emergency and patients vehicles following an accident that claimed nine lives earlier this year.

ALSO READ: Lack of ambulances blamed for nine Northern Cape deaths

Premier Zamani Saul officiated the launch of 20 new ambulances and ten new patient transport vehicles in Kimberley this morning, accompanied by the Health MEC in the province, Maruping Lekwene. 

This is expected to improve medical services in the province. Saul stated that R15 million was spent to procure the vehicles. Saul revealed that this is the second launch of emergency vehicles in the province after 14 emergency vehicles were handed over in Namaqua two months ago.

“We committed that each quarter of this year we must launch emergency vehicles. This is a great need and we are trying to keep up to our commitment to ensure that there is increased accessibility to emergency vehicles. If anybody in the Northern Cape today phones a call centre for an emergency vehicle, out of 100 calls, 80 will get an emergency vehicle,” he stated.

‘Lekwene is expected to disclose his department’s plans’

In a recent interview with OFM News, Lekwene admitted that some of the challenges they are facing as a department include a shortage of staff, ambulances, and old infrastructure. He acknowledged that people have been complaining that emergency personnel comes hours later after people have called for an emergency.

“We don’t necessarily have that shortage of ambulances. It’s a double challenge, it’s directional. It’s both your EMS professionals plus the cars. You can have the cars and not sufficient professionals, we don’t talk about the driver,” Lekwene said.

Lekwene is expected to disclose his department’s plans to deal with challenges that are hindering services in various health facilities in the province during his budget vote on Wednesday.

ALSO READ: Northern Cape health prioritises its headaches

OFM News