The Democratic Alliance (DA) is calling on the MEC of Health, Maruping Lekwene, to stabilise Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in the Umsobomvu municipal area to prevent unnecessary deaths.
Last Friday, after summonsing an ambulance for a sick diabetic patient in Colesberg, I was informed that the ambulance had taken another patient to De Aar, to board transport to Kimberley. On Sunday morning, during another medical emergency, I was informed that I had to call the switchboard in Kimberley. I eventually drove the elderly patient to Manne Dipico hospital, passing the ambulance at the hospital entrance.
These are not isolated incidents. There are only two operational ambulances in the Umsobomvu municipality, one situated in Colesberg and the other in Noupoort. There is also no patient transport vehicle available within the municipality.
The situation poses a severe risk to patients in need of life-saving treatment and specialised care.
A Colesberg woman, whose pap smear showed abnormal results, is anxiously waiting further testing in Kimberley to determine potential malignancy. After arriving at Manne Dipico hospital in Colesberg on September 9th, for scheduled patient transport, she was informed that the vehicle had departed to Kimberley on an emergency. Her appointment was rescheduled for September 11 but when she arrived at Manne Dipico hospital, she was informed that the patient transport that she was supposed to catch in De Aar, was full. Having missed two doctor’s appointments in Kimberley, she is unsure when she will be able to get a third.
Departmental reports confirm that the EMS service in Pixley ka Seme has been functioning at between 40%–50% fleet capacity due to breakdowns and maintenance delays, despite the allocation of four additional ambulances to the district.
The department also blames massive EMS personnel shortages for a lack of services. This is not the case in Umsobomvu. The DA is aware of at least two certified EMS practitioners in Colesberg, both of whom have been unable to secure posts from the department.
The DA is demanding answers and action from MEC Lekwene regarding ambulance allocations, the shortage of patient transporters and the failure to appoint key personnel to boost the EMS unit and call-centre logistics. Our concerns will be further raised by Isak Fritz, DA provincial health spokesperson, at the legislature’s upcoming question session with the Premier.
The provincial government must be held accountable for declining access to healthcare in the Northern Cape.