Paramedic’s Safety Top Priority

The DA in the Western Cape is pleased with the response from the Department of Health with regard to the attacks on Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel in recent months

In my capacity as Chairperson of the standing Committee on Health in the Western Cape Provincial Parliament, I have written to the Minister of Health in the Western Cape, Nomafrench Mbombo, to inquire what is the Department’s long term solutions to stop the violence against EMS personnel, and ensure that adequate ambulance response times resume.

In recent months we have seen a number of attacks on paramedics, prompting some of them to wear bullet proof vests in an effort to avoid injuries. We applaud the dedication and commitment of these brave men and women, who despite the tough working environment continue to do their jobs and save lives at the risk of their own.

The Department has implemented a number of measures to deal with the problem. It has extensive and ongoing engagements with the South African Police Service, Community Police Forums, the Department of Community Safety and various other organisations. The partnership ensures that real time information is relayed to the Department and adequate measures are thus taken.

Each ambulance is also fitted with a console that contains a number of improvements that include a tracking device.  The improvements have led to a number of arrests this year. The community has also played a pivotal role in ensuring that people are arrested and as a result the department has committed itself to embarking on a sustained community engagement campaign to spread awareness.

The DA in Western Cape is determined to ensuring that quality health care is provided to the people of the Western Cape and we urge communities to report any violence against EMS personnel as failing to do so will only ensure that ambulance response time will be delayed, and this can often have disastrous consequences