With the aim of better healthcare service delivery during the festive season, the MEC for health, Sasekani Manzini, said the EMS will be deployed at various identified strategic hotspots in the province.

“The areas were identified as those where emergencies often occur as the trend in the previous years for rapid emergency response. Our healthcare workers will ensure visibility, emergency preparedness, including standby geared towards rapid response to emergencies in these hotspots,” she said during the department’s launch of its Festive Season Contingency Plan at the Mbombela Stadium on December 14.

The province currently has 37 permanent EMS stations, complimented by three communication centres based within the three districts, and are ready to manage an expected high number of calls during this period.

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“Be that as it may, the public and visitors may rest assured that the department is well prepared to deal with various emergencies during this period through our wide range of services, including the EMS, which is a mobile medical service aimed at the provision of emergency ambulance services, including emergency care and transportation to hospital.

“Furthermore, we will ensure that our healthcare facilities are well equipped and staffed to handle any potential surge in cases. This will include having sufficient medical supplies, trained personnel and efficient communication systems. We have also established clear protocols for the management of emergencies and the co-ordination with other relevant departments and organisations to ensure a swift and effective response.”

She urged the public to use the toll-free 112 number for medical emergencies, which can be accessed from any phone line.

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“I want to also call on the public to refrain from making false calls. There are situations in which an ambulance is called only to find that it was a false call. Such acts may compromise another person who could have benefited from it at the time.”