Professor Nomafrench Mbombo, the Western Cape’s minister of health and wellness, took part in a mountain rescue exercise on Tafelberg Road, Table Mountain, alongside first responders from the Air Mercy Service (AMS), Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and other key stakeholders.
The exercise offered a platform for health professionals to sharpen their skills and also served as a debriefing session, providing insights into the festive season’s challenges and successes.
Also read: WSAR warns of the dangers of outdoor activities during a heat wave
Every year, the Department of Health and Wellness prepares for a surge in emergency incidents from 15 December to 15 January. This period demands strategic allocation of resources to ensure readiness in emergency centres and EMS, especially preceding the province’s tourism season.
AMS, EMS’s sole aeromedical contractor, is responsible for search and rescue operations as well as patient airlifts throughout the province. Its fleet consists of one fixed-wing aircraft in Cape Town and two helicopters, one each in Cape Town and Oudtshoorn.
The AMS’s collaboration with EMS and Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR) improves their ability to handle wilderness emergencies.
The chief executive of AMS, Mr Farhaad Haffejee, stated, ‘The Red Cross Air Mercy Service (AMS) serves as the proud aero-medical service provider and partner of the Department of Health and Wellness. AMS is part of an integrated response system of the Department and has conducted a total of 87 missions for the festive season.’
These missions included 11 helicopter rescues, 51 hoists and one short-haul extraction, with most rescues aiding hikers in distress.
EMS maintained 24/7 readiness during the festive season, strategically positioning resources and coordinating with various agencies for road and beach safety. The season saw an 8.24% increase in EMS callouts compared to the previous year, with notable increases across various districts.
Cape {town} Etc discount: Looking for things to do in the city at half the price? Let these great offers inspire you and fuel your imagination! Get them here.
In anticipation of increased trauma incidents, elective procedures were reduced to reallocate resources. The Hospital & Emergency Centre Tracking Information System (HECTIS) platform revealed that 120 158 patients were treated in emergency centres during the festive period, with 25.5% of cases trauma-related.
Professor Heike Geduld, the provincial coordinator of specialist emergency services, commented on the challenge of treating over 120 000 patients in a month.
She explained, ‘While the prevalence of trauma in our ECs remained comparable to the previous season, treating more than 120 000 patients within a month is still a mammoth task to undertake and speaks to the heightened demand on the healthcare system.’
She continued, ‘During this period, we saw how interpersonal violence continued to be a persistent factor in our trauma cases. This speaks to the need for us as a society to address the factors that lead to these incidents to prevent our health system’s resources from being further stretched.’
Professor Mbombo commended the collective effort and dedication of healthcare professionals and noted the importance of ongoing partnerships for efficient service delivery.
‘Our mountain rescue exercise proved that collective efforts through partnerships can result in effective service delivery for our residents. While many of us were enjoying the end of a busy year, our healthcare professionals remained hard at work to ensure that our health system was able to manage the demand placed on it. These professionals work hard and contribute greatly to making our services more accessible to our communities. I look forward to the future work that arises from this partnership.’
Explore Cape Town and its surroundings with these incredible deals on cars for under R100 000. Find car listings here.
Also read:
One dead in seven incidents as WSAR battles sweltering, windy weekend
Picture: WC Govt Health and Wellness MEC Prof Nomafrench Mbombo / Facebook