EMERGENCY MODE: 197 more ambulances, but Eastern Cape’s EMS crisis is still critical
The Eastern Cape is set to receive more ambulances as the provincial health department battles a long-running crisis in its emergency medical services, but even then, the promised vehicles are not expected to fix the issue.
The Eastern Cape has received an additional 26 ambulances as part of a program to replace its aging and unreliable fleet, but health department spokesperson Ntandokazi Capa has admitted the province still needs significantly more ambulances to address its emergency medical services (EMS) crisis. Capa stated that the province needs about 600 ambulances to operate at full capacity, and even with the 197 ambulances promised by the end of March next year, the service would not be fully resolved.
The current situation sees 161 ambulances grounded, leaving only 192 operational out of the 353 ambulances currently available. The shortage is particularly severe in rural areas, where ambulances must travel long distances over challenging roads. Health unions and patients continue to describe the service as under severe strain, with concerns ranging from equipment shortages to ambulances being deployed without critical equipment.
Written by urgent.news from Daily Maverick's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
