Question NW2168 to the Minister of Health
22 September 2017 - NW2168
Dreyer, Ms AM to ask the Minister of Health
(a) How many public (i) hospitals and (ii) clinics currently have a shortage of ambulances and (b) what is the extent of this shortage?
Reply:
(a) (i) and (ii) EMS is established in the Provinces as a mobile health facility and as such has infrastructure specifically for EMS which may or may not be attached to a health facility. The number of ambulances operating from health facilities and those operating from independent ambulances stations are detailed below.
(b) Given that this is not standard practice for EMS to be attached to a specific health facility, it is not possible to advise on the extent of shortage of ambulances at fixed health facilities
Table 1
|
PROVINCE |
Number of ambulances operating from EMS Stations attached to hospitals and clinics which are managed by EMS |
Number of ambulances operating from EMS Stations not attached to hospitals and clinics |
|
Eastern Cape |
58 |
28 |
|
Free State |
133 |
11 |
|
Gauteng |
275 and a further 100 new ambulances will be available. |
52 |
|
402 are operated from Metropolitan Municipalities |
||
|
KwaZulu-Natal |
344 |
191 |
|
Limpopo |
292 |
97 |
|
Mpumalanga |
0 |
98 |
|
North West |
66 |
0 |
|
Northern Cape |
80 |
55 |
|
Western Cape |
137 |
135 |
Going forward, it is recommended that future planning and construction of hospitals and clinics should include provisions for EMS Stations to enhance integrated healthcare.
END.