33% ambulance shortage in Ekurhuleni – DA
Ekurhuleni has a total combined ambulance fleet of 212.
This is 106 ambulances short of what it should have available for operations within its metropolitan boundaries.
This is according to Michael Waters MP, DA deputy Chief Whip in the National Assembly and Lethabong Constituency Head. He received the information according to a Parliamentary reply.
“There should be one ambulance for every 10 000 residents and given there are 3 178 470 residents (as per StatsSA June 2016), the metro should have 318 ambulances resulting in a shortfall of 106 (33 per cent) ambulances,” said Waters.
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“It is no wonder that response times of ambulances are unacceptably long, putting the people at risk.”
He said of the 212 ambulances operating within the metro, 45 are owned and managed by the Gauteng Department of Health Provincial EMS and perform specific functions within the metro.
The day-to-day operations of the remaining 167 ambulances are managed by the metro of which the metro owns 84 and the Provincial Health Department 83.
“We cannot gamble with lives. When a person needs an ambulance it is usually a matter of life and death. The purchasing of additional ambulances should be prioritized, instead of wasting millions on overseas trips and self-glorifying events.”
