The Gauteng Department of Health has reported that throughout the festive season leading up to the New Year, there was a notable decrease in calls about medical matters.
These calls were followed by those connected to trauma cases, accidents, and suicide.
It is explained that when comparing the data to the previous year, the emergency case statistics show a slight decrease in call volumes.
The Emergency Communication Centre received 1 929 calls within the same time period in 2022–2023 (105 accidents, 862 medical incidents, 53 suicides/attempts, and 482 trauma incidents).
Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, has expressed satisfaction with how the Gauteng Emergency Medical Service (EMS) responded to emergencies during the festive season.
“I want to commend our dedicated health-care workers across the Gauteng health system who have been working tirelessly during this busy period. Their dedication and professionalism are commendable,” she Nkomo-Ralehoko.
In addition, the MEC expressed appreciation to the residents of Gauteng and those visiting the province for their“ continued co-operation and patience”.
“The statistics could be improved drastically if people were to act more responsibly and with consideration for others.”
She was also on the ground on New Year’s Eve as EMS personnel responded to emergency calls as part of the safer festive season campaign.
Nkomo-Ralehoko said the work done by the Green Angels during this period demonstrated that the resources the Gauteng Department of Health has invested in both personnel and equipment over time are being put to good use.
She joined the team of call centre operators at the EMS Communication Centre in Midrand to respond to incoming emergency calls to provide timely and efficient responses to save the lives of people in danger.
The Gauteng Emergency Communication Centre received 1 914 calls between 6am on Sunday, December 31, and 6am on Monday, January 1. These calls included accidents, medical problems, suicides, trauma cases, and others.
The breakdown of the calls is as follows:
* Accidents (motor vehicles, motor bikes, pedestrians, etc): 102 calls.
* Medical emergencies (maternity, asthma attacks, epilepsy, heart attacks, collapse, etc): 898 calls.
* Suicide-related (poisoning, hanging, overdosing, etc): 42 calls.
* Trauma cases (assault, gunshot, burns, etc): 468 calls.
The statistics of emergency cases attended to between December 15 and January 1 in 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 cycles show most of the calls were medical-related, followed by trauma cases, accidents and suicide-related calls.
The Star
anita.nkonki@inl.co.za