Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla says the department will be deploying 1 350 ambulances across the country`s major high traffic volume routes, including the N1 and N2 over the festive season.
Cape Town - Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla says the department will be deploying 1 350 ambulances across the country`s major high traffic volume routes, including the N1 and N2 over the festive season.
During a media briefing in Boksburg on Thursday, Phaahla said the Emergency Medical System in all provinces have festive season contingency plans which are aligned to the Arrive Alive Campaign, Road Safety Awareness led by the Department of Transport. Although, the deployment periods vary within provinces, heightened focus for the festive period will be from December 14 to January 20, 2023.
Associated risks during festive season include vehicle accidents; pedestrian/ vehicle accidents; domestic accidents; domestic violence, GBV and femicide; increased crime; alcohol poisoning, drownings, gang violence and mass casualty incidents.
“We have deployed strategic resources according to the needs and demands of each and every area across the country. These include ambulances; rapid response units; aero-medical services and disaster buses. We have roped in the private sector EMS in order to augment our current capacity through existing Service Level Agreements,” Phaahla said.
“We will be deploying 1 350 ambulances across the country’s major high traffic volume routes which include N1, N2, N3, N4, N5, N6, N7, N10, N12 and N14,” he said.
The Eastern Cape will receive 209 ambulances, the Free State 118, Gauteng 384, KwaZulu-Natal 222, Limpopo 120, Mpumalanga 72, North West 84, Northern Cape 67 and Western Cape 74.
Cape Times