The MEC for the department, Madoda Sambatha, says his department will increase the 24-hour service availability at the current 68 facilities, with an additional nine facilities.

He further says this number will increase by at least ten facilities per year for the next five years, targeting the most rural communities, including amongst others Taung.

This as residents in areas such as Sekhing in Taung raised their dissatisfaction with the department for failing to either build or provide 24-hour access to Community Health Care Centers (CHC). Sambatha says as part of relieving hospitals from the burden of an excess of patients, the Department will also include Mafikeng Gateway Clinic and Taung Gateway Clinic to operate and provide 24-hour services.

In April this year, spokesperson of the department announced that the construction of the R130 million centre was finally completed after eight years of contribution. Sambatha says the Department is gradually reducing its reliance on private Emergency Medical Services (EMS) providers and they are growing the department’s fleet and personnel.

“In this regard, the Department procured 20 planned patient transporters and 48 ambulances in the last financial year. Of these, 16 are awaiting conversion and the entire 48 ambulances still have to be registered by the Department of Community Safety and Transport Management,” he says.

“The attainment of our independence from private EMS providers will take some time and dedicated resources, as can be gauged from the national norms, indicate that we need 360 ambulances to cover the population of the North West Province,” Sambatha adds.

He says the department currently has 64 operational ambulances, thus they still need the services of other private EMS providers. He further adds that this will be done through an open bidding process, signing up companies per municipality with an incentive for those willing to cover the far-flung areas.

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