Question NW1522 to the Minister of Health

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31 July 2020 - NW1522

Profile picture: Wilson, Ms ER

Wilson, Ms ER to ask the Minister of Health

(1)With reference to certain incidents that took place in Polokwane on 30 June 2020 (details furnished), what are the reasons that the members of the emergency medical services (EMS) team at the Polokwane Provincial Hospital have not yet been issued with masks after months of lockdown to prepare the health system for the Covid-19 pandemic; (2) what number of other (a) EMS teams and (b) hospitals in Limpopo are still not equipped with the appropriate personal protective equipment, despite assurances that the Limpopo Department of Health has prepared for the growing pandemic; (3) whether he intends to take any action to ensure optimal availability of personal protective equipment in the Limpopo health sector; if not, why not; if so, what action?

Reply:

1. All EMS personnel in Limpopo Province have been issued with personal protective equipment (PPE) from the onset of the lockdown. Limpopo Department of Health procured an additional 5000 three-layer cloth face masks and issued each employee with two face masks. EMS orders and collects PPE from the departmental pharmaceutical depot on a weekly basis to ensure that there is constant supply.

2. There are no EMS teams or hospitals that are not equipped with PPE. The Department has been supplying all the staff members with PPE since the start of the lockdown and the records of the department show no personnel without PPE.

3. In Limpopo, just like in other provinces, the department ensures that there is a constant supply of PPE that is available to issue to the staff hence there are no operational staff without PPE. The pharmaceutical depot orders the PPE which get supplied to various sections/institutions according to their needs.

END.

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