The Head of Department of Health in the Free State, Dr. David Motau was today doing the final inspection of the 60 Iveco Daily Ambulance vehicles earmarked for use by Health Emergency Medical Services. This is part of capacitating a responsive emergency health care provision to the people of the Free State and any other person who may be in need of emergency care within the jurisdiction of the province.
These ready for service vehicles will be commissioned to their respective service areas as from Tuesday, 28 August 2018.
“We welcome this critical resource that will impact positively to health outcomes in our province. These resources will certainly reduce long waiting times for ambulances and contribute to increasing our capacity to save lives” said MEC for Health, Montseng Tsiu in reaction to this development.
They will provide, amongst others, the critical emergency response to accidents, widen access to emergency care for high risk pregnant mothers and those who may be giving birth as Obstetrics and Gynae Ambulance, Primary Health Care and Planned Patient Transport.
The Department is implementing its strategy of widening access to emergency care for all people and this will see even towns that never had an ambulance gaining access to this critical resource.
The Free State is at the heart of South Africa with five high volume major routes passing through and placing a major burden on the already overstretched resources for emergency response and pre-hospital care. The routes are N1, N3, N5, N6 and N8.