33 ambulances currently sit idle in Mpumalanga

In Mpumalanga, 33 provincial ambulances are currently standing idle due to a shortage of qualified emergency medical services (EMS) personnel, reports Lowvelder.

The provincial Department of Health (DoH), under the control of Member of the Executive Council (MEC) Sasekani Manzini and Head of Department Dr Lucas Khetani Ndhlovu, currently holds a fleet of 171 ambulances.

This includes two rapid response vehicles (RRVs), one of which is currently not operational. RRVs are usually first responders and must be manned by advanced life support paramedics (ALS).

DoH spokesperson Dumisani Malumela confirms there are only 67 emergency medical services (EMS) vehicles in service across Mpumalanga.

Shocking discovery

DA member of the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature (MPL), Bosman Grobler, says it was shocking to discover that 71 of the EMS vehicles are unserviceable.

“According to the department’s own report, these vehicles are damaged due to accidents, and others have mechanical issues. With the current 171 in the EMS fleet, it is far less than the national prescribed standard of 420 for a population of 5 million,” Grobler told Lowvelder on Monday.

According to him, there is one ambulance for every 69 000 residents, when there should be one for every 10 000.

33 vehicles grounded

“Even more worrying are the 33 vehicles that are grounded because there are no crews to deploy on them. If one looks at the current disastrous state of the DoH, it becomes clear EMS is like their unwanted stepchild,” says Grobler.

Malumela says there are currently 650 EMS staff deployed in the province, which includes 15 ALSs.

The 71 stranded EMS vehicles are reportedly spread across the province, gathering dust in mechanical workshops.

A source within the DoH HQ, who asked not to be named, told Lowvelder: “What is concerning is the excuses the designated workshop comes up with that there are no spares available. Many claim spares must be ordered from overseas.” Lowvelder established that the DoH EMS fleet mainly consists of Volkswagen Combis and a few Ford Transits used for intensive care unit transfers.

EFF Member of the Provincial Legislature, Colin Sedibe, states that the shortage of ambulances in Mpumalanga is a cause for concern.

Communities stranded

“Communities are crying about the lack of ambulances when they need them. Another worrying aspect is the turnaround time for an ambulance call-out. The stipulated turnaround time is three hours, but in Mpumalanga it often takes more than 24 hours to arrive,” Sedibe says.

“We have reported cases of pregnant women giving birth in their homes or in private transport on their way to the hospital. People who get injured during the weekends due to fighting, crime and car accidents end up dying on the streets because of a lack of ambulances.”

Helicopter Emergency Medical Services is part of EMS service delivery.

Malumela rejects the notion of a shortage of air ambulance services.

“We cannot deliver a 24/7 service, as it is a single-engine helicopter designed to operate only in daylight,” he says.

There is one Mpumalanga chopper, based at the Nelspruit Airport outside Mbombela.

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