EMS Allocate New Paediatric Ambulance to Service the Cape Winelands | Western Cape Government

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EMS Allocate New Paediatric Ambulance to Service the Cape Winelands

13 November 2011

Today the Children's Hospital Trust handed over a fully equipped paediatric ambulance to Western Cape Government Health's Emergency Medical Services (EMS) as part of the partnership between Western Cape Government Health's EMS and the Children's Hospital Trust.

The Cape Winelands neonatal and paediatric ambulance is one of four ambulances that have been specially equipped to accommodate newborn babies and toddlers. This is part of an initiative to meet EMS annual strategic objectives in line with the millennium goals and to enrich and strengthen mother and child emergency medical care in the province.

"Western Cape Government has allocated R2 million of their budget to purchase four state-of-the-art ambulances. The furnishing of these ambulances by the Red Cross Children's Trust is a great aid as it affords Health budget relief," said Theuns Botha, Western Cape Minister of Health.

The ambulances will be the first of their kind in the Cape Winelands district, serving the communities of Paarl, Worcester, Robertson and Ceres. Previously, EMS worked with one paediatric ambulance based in Cape Town. The ambulance would be dispatched outside of the city if Air Mercy Service (air ambulance) was not able to respond to a paediatric call, which took resources out of the area of need.

Dr Cleeve Robertson, Director of EMS within Western Cape Government Health, said, "Babies require specific equipment for intensive care transfers between facilities. This ambulance provides a comprehensive suite of everything required to safely transfer a sick baby or child into health facilities."

The newly furnished ambulance will be designated to the Worcester Hospital as it is the only hospital in the region that provides a paediatric unit.

Media Enquiries: 

Keri Davids
Principal Communications Officer: Emergency Medical Services
Tel: 021 948 9908
Cell: 083 286 4227
E-mail: kerdavid@pgwc.gov.za