The long weekend has kept EMS first responders busy. Western Cape Government Health says being considerate is an essential part of sharing the road and ensuring the safety of all road users. Unfortunately, over the long weekend, too many road users did not demonstrate this courtesy.
Long weekend keeps EMS busy
Paramedics responded to a staggering 47 incidents involving pedestrians in the Cape Metro region. The Western Cape Department of Health Emergency Medical Services appeals to motorists to travel more slowly when approaching pedestrians. At the same time, pedestrians are asked to wear visible clothing when they walk next to a road. The fewer incidents on the road, the more quickly response agencies can attend to other emergencies.
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Across the province, it was an unusually busy long weekend on the roads for the EMS. Paramedics responded to a total of 187 road traffic-related incidents, including:
- 92 in the Cape Metro,
- 35 in Cape Winelands,
- 27 in Garden Route,
- 16 in Overberg,
- 12 on the West Coast, and
- 5 in Central Karoo.
Main incident types
For the entire weekend, the EMS attended to 6 162 incidents in the province. 31% were attributed to life-threatening conditions that required urgent treatment.
The main incident types included:
- weapon assaults (1 068)
- chest pain/ discomfort (931)
- respiratory complaints (535)
- physical assaults (494)
- obstetric complaints (367)
- neurological complaints (281)
- abdominal complaints (247)
- domestic injuries (237)
- vomiting/ diarrhoea (216) and
- musculoskeletal complaints (206).
As the year draws to a close, the EMS will continue to respond to calls for help, 24/7.
Trauma-related cases in the Western Cape
From 00h00 on Friday morning to 08h30 Monday (today), 3 661 trauma cases were presented to 43 emergency centres (ECs) linked to the Hospital Emergency Centre Triage and Information System (HECTIS). Please note that not all ECs are linked to the HECTIS system.
Geared for more cases
Local hospitals and 24-hour community health centres (CHC) are geared for the increase in expected cases although most of the trauma cases are preventable.
READ: Department of Health and Wellness
Most of the reported trauma cases were seen within the Cape Metro at facilities such as:
- Delft CHC (220)
- Kraaifontein CHC (195)
- Khayelitsha Hospital (194)
- Tygerberg Hospital (184
- Mitchell’s Plain Hospital (168)
- Gugulethu CHC (167) and
- Paarl Hospital (167).
Long weekend keeps EMS busy
In addition to these trauma cases, EMS also treated 6 712 patients coming for non-trauma-related health care at our EC’s.
ARTICLE COMPILED BY WESTERN CAPE GOVERNMENT HEALTH
