EASTERN CAPE - HEALTH DEPT SPENDS R18 MILLION ON NEW EMERGENCY CENTRE OUTSIDE PORT ST JOHNS

The Eastern Cape health department has spent R18 million to build an emergency centre at Tombo outside Port St Johns as a way of improving rural emergency services.

Four-wheel drive rescue and response vehicles fitted with state-of-the-art equipment have been allocated to the centre.

The vehicles are fitted with generators, jaws of life and other essential equipment necessary for freeing trapped motorists and passengers from wreckages.

Ambulances will also be dispatched to the centre.

The department says it is also waiting for the delivery of more than 100 vehicles including buses.

Residents have expressed hope as they claim to have struggled to get a quick response when they need ambulances.

Provincial Health MEC Dr.Phumza Dyantyi says they face a huge challenge when it comes to replacing old vehicles because of the poor road infrastructure especially in Transkei.

“Although we have a fleet that has come, particularly the rescue vehicles, we have received 20 and have already distributed to different districts, we always have problems that we are not adding to the fleet. We replace most of the times.”

“This is due to the fact that our roads are bad, particularly in the Transkei area. Instead of adding to the fleet, we replace.”

Dyantyi says rural areas are their top priority.

“We have no choice, but to prioritise rural areas because most of the times they are the ones who have shortages, bad shortages of these ambulances. At least in towns, we find that the vehicles take a longer period than those that are in the rural areas.”

Forty six rescue vehicles and buses are expected to be allocated to all emergency centres in the province in May.

VIA - sabc