As the Easter weekend approaches, the North West province is gearing up to ensure the safety and well-being of residents and those who will be travelling through the province.

North West Health spokesperson Tebogo Lekgethwane confirmed Emergency Medical Services (EMS) response teams are fully prepared to handle any medical emergencies. Due to increased travel, gatherings, and festivities, the risk of accidents and medical emergencies rises during this period.

Lekgethwane said provincial Health MEC Madoda Sambatha instilled confidence by affirming a comprehensive plan has been meticulously crafted to address a spectrum of potential medical incidents. This plan is the product of close collaboration with various stakeholders, including law enforcement agencies across the province.

“As the Department of Health, we left nothing to chance in our contingency plan to deal with medical emergencies across all the major roads in the province. We will keenly keep an eye on major roads like the N12 and N14 which are prone to horrific accidents and our EMS teams in Dr Kenneth Kaunda (and Bojanala districts will be ready,” he said.

‘Abstain from driving while intoxicated’

Road users are urged to be vigilant and abstain from driving while intoxicated. Lekgethwane said the department has deployed enough ambulances and emergency response vehicles along the N12 and N14 respectively in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda and Bojana Districts as they are earmarked as areas of concern.

He said 22 ambulances and five response vehicles have been deployed in Bojanala District while 16 ambulances and eight response vehicles including intensive care unit vehicles have been deployed to Dr Kenneth Kaunda District.

Lekgethwane said Dr Segomotsi Mompati has a fleet of 18 ambulances and four response vehicles while Ngaka Modiri Molemela has eleven ambulances, a rescue bakkie, and four emergency vehicles.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi dg