Gauteng residents in dire need of medical attention are on the losing end because of the sluggish service provided by the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in Gauteng. This is despite trackers being installed on all ambulances during the 2021/2022 financial year, as reported in the annual report.
To remedy this problem, the Gauteng Department of Health and Wellness has now suggested that trackers be installed again next quarter. This is worrying, as it would appear that our taxpayers are paying twice for the same solution.
In the first quarter report for the department, the indicator for ambulances arriving on time was not met.
It is unacceptable that the department is unable to track where the ambulances are and the exact amount of time it takes for the EMS service to respond to an emergency. If this is left unchecked, many of our residents risk losing their lives.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) will be tabling further questions in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature to determine when the first batch of trackers were installed, whether the department is ensuring that the ambulances are not used for lunch runs, and what the average response time is for an emergency.
Gauteng residents deserve a healthcare system that puts their needs first and operates efficiently.