By Kopano Dibakwane
Thirty-nine state-of-the-art emergency service vehicles(ambulances) were unveiled by Mpumalanga premier, Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane accompanied by MEC for health, Sasekani Manzini, at Mbombela stadium on Friday.
The new fleet was reportedly converted into conventional ambulances, mobile intensive care units, specialised psychiatric ambulance, primary response vehicle and patients transporters, to provide capacity in meeting the increasing demand of ambulances during emergency cases. It was also reported that the appointment of 10 advanced life support officials were to assist in the ICU(intensive care unit) emergency vehicles, is underway. Also ten basic life support paramedics to assist in closing the shortage of staff.
Premier Mtshweni-Tsipane said that the new fleet costs R40 million and will add to the already existing 157 ambulances in the province. She added that the fleet of 39 ambulances has actually surpassed the initial target of increasing the overall provincial ambulances by at least 10 each year.
” For the very first time we have 10 ICU ambulances that will assist across the province, it doesn’t only concentrate on adults, but it also takes care of new borns and young ones. It is also equipped with an incubator for newly born children. We have 29 normal ambulances to augment on the current fleet that we are having, so we can reach as many people. We’ve procured about three mental health ambulances and three rapid response ambulances,” said Mtshweni-Tsipane.
The premier mentioned that having this fleet will go a long way in ensuring easy accessibility and timeous response, which will address the wishes of the people of the province.
” We are precisely trying to respond to the needs as they were raised by our communities. I think we are on the right path. Through the department of health we’ll continue in making sure that we increase the fleet that we are having until we reach a point whereby there’s easy accessibility and prompt response to our ambulance system in our communities,”
Mtshweni-Tsipane said that the people of Mpumalanga need to jealously safeguard the services that are introduced by the provincial government government.
Other senior government officials who were present at the unveiling included, the executive mayor of Mbombela city, Sibongile Makhushe-Mazibuko, Ehlanzeni district council members of mayoral committee, Million Shongwe and Phindile Mbowane from city of Mbombela.
