Slow response time of ambulance a concern- Bloom
Response time stats has dropped from 77% to 54% in June this year
Officially recorded emergency ambulance response times have plummeted in Gauteng from 77% of all priority one calls responded to within 15 minutes in urban areas last year, to 54% this year.
Gauteng Health Department’s First Quarter Report which was recently tabled in the Gauteng Legislature and covers the April to June period.
Shadow MEC for Gauteng Health Jack Bloom said he is concerned.
“I am very concerned about the poor ambulance response times in Gauteng and the shortage of working ambulances even though the budget is typically underspent.
This leads to tragedies like the ambulance that did not arrive to pick up the late Mandoza in Soweto three hours after it was called,” said Bloom.
One resident from Riverlea who also lost someone in the past Ruth Fick said ambulance cost her relative her life.
“I phoned the ambulance at about 2am in the morning because I had no transport to take my relative to hospital.
“They made me hold on the phone for more than 30 minutes and thereafter came only after approximately two and a half hours but it was too late,” said Fick.
Bloom said the new municipalities need to work hard to improve the situation.
“The new run municipalities in Gauteng will need to work with the provincial health department to ensure that ambulances reach 80% of all priority one emergency patients within 15 minutes, which is the world class standard,” said Bloom.
