GAUTENG MEC FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS, ON THE STATE OF READINESS FOR FESTIVE SEASON

STATEMENT BY THE GAUTENG MEC FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS, MS NOMANTU NKOMO-RALEHOKO, ON THE STATE OF READINESS FOR THE FESTIVE SEASON

Thank you for joining us this morning as we outline our plans to ensure the health and safety of communities during the festive season under the theme “Beyond The Call Of Duty – Responding to Emergencies, Preserving Lives.”

This signals our readiness to go beyond the call of duty. To ensure that we marshal every resource at our disposal to effectively respond to any medical emergency across the province to save lives.
Every year, as we embrace the spirit of the festive season, we also, sadly, witness a surge in accidents related to travel and festive celebrations. The combination of increased road traffic and social gatherings can lead to a higher volume of emergencies.

Statistics show that during the festive season, emergency service calls can increase by as much as 25%, this spike in demand puts immense pressure on our healthcare systems. In the last three years the Gauteng Emergency Medical Services Communication Centre received over 117 000 calls during December period with an average of around 39 000 each month.

As we enter this joyous time of the year, it is crucial to ensure that our healthcare facilities are fully resourced and well prepared to respond effectively to the healthcare needs of the communities.

Preparedness of healthcare facilities

I want to assure the residents of Gauteng that our hospitals and clinics across all the five health districts are well-prepared for the challenges ahead. Proactive measures have been taken to ensure sufficient number of staff members along with the allocation of the necessary resources and equipment needed to serve our residents during this busy season.

We have introduced an innovative dashboard system to monitor staffing levels and pressure areas across all our hospitals. This will help in ensuring that our facilities are adequately capacitated to effectively handle any emergencies.

All our 38 Community Health Centres operating 24 hours a day will continue to remain open throughout the festive season. This will ensure that our communities always have access to the much-needed essential medical care. No one should miss out on their treatment during this period.

Medical Supplies Depot (MSD)

Our Medical Supplies Depot (MSD) plays a critical role in managing the supply of pharmaceuticals to all our hospitals and clinics and we are committed to maintaining the highest standards of service during this busy time.

It is MSD’s primary mandate to ensure that life-saving and essential medicines are available to all health care facilities and as such has committed to ensuring that medicine availability is kept above 95%, to meet the medical needs of patients.

To achieve this goal, we have taken several proactive measures in our medicine supply chain system, which includes early procurement and stock management as we anticipate possible closures of pharmaceutical companies during the festive period. Our procurement team has increased stock levels. We are processing an increased number of buyout quotations on the MEDSAS system to ensure that
facilities receive adequate supplies based on their demands.

Our warehouse team is in constant communication with health facilities to arrange alternative delivery dates so that we are not negatively impacted by public holidays. We have permitted facilities to double their stock levels, provided that they have adequate storage space. The MSD team will closely monitor stock levels at all facilities and respond swiftly to any emerging needs.

Gauteng Emergency Medical Services (EMS) readiness

This festive season, we have a fleet of over 400 operational vehicles ready to serve our communities. These includes ambulances, primary response vehicles, rescue vehicles, a disaster response bus, amongst others. Each vehicle is equipped with the necessary medical supplies and technology to ensure that our emergency responders can provide timely and effective care.

Our Provincial Health Operations Centre located in Midrand is well capacitated to monitor the volume of calls, track the emergency response times, facilitate planned patients transport, handle hospital diverts, track emergency vehicle movements and monitor daily operational strength across the five districts in Gauteng.

Our personnel are the backbone of our emergency services, and their readiness during periods such as this is paramount. We have deployed a team of 4,200 staff members that are all trained, experienced and ready to assist during this busy period. We understand that every second counts in an emergency and our team is committed to providing rapid and efficient responses to those in need.

Furthermore, we have in this 2024/25 financial year trained over 3 700 community members across the province as first responders surpassing our annual target of 2 500. This means that we now have more people that have undergone the First Responder Training programme offered our Lebone College of Emergency Care.
These people have been equipped with essential life-saving skills such as performing CPR, assisting convulsing victims, managing falls, treating sprains, strains and burn cases while awaiting professional help from healthcare personnel.

Forensic Pathology Services

Contingency plans are in place to ensure seamless operations within our Forensic Pathology Services throughout the festive season. Should there be a need for pathology services, all the 11 offices across the five health districts will remain open with a staff compliment of 38 pathologists and 30 forensic officers who will be on standby to assist during this busy period.

A total of 65 response vehicles including the newly procured multi-body-carrier vehicles are also on standby to deal with fatalities when the need arises. We, however, want to plead with the public to heed the public warning messages from government and other entities so as to minimize the loss of life during this period.

Health precautions for festive season

while we enjoy the festivities, we must also take proactive measures to protect our well-being. If you choose to consume alcohol, do so responsibly. Know your limits and ensure that you have a safe way to get home. Remember, drinking and driving endangers your life and the lives of others.

I must also emphasize the importance of sexual health. Let us refrain from engaging in risky sexual behaviours as these may lead to infections such as sexually transmitted infections and HIV. Our healthcare facilities provide condoms free of charge in an effort to reduce the risk of STIs and preventing unplanned pregnancies.
Another pressing issue I must mention is food safety. As we prepare festive meals, we have the responsibility to protect our loved ones from foodborne illnesses. Proper handling and storage of food is therefore important to avoid contamination. Let us wash hands and frequently clean surfaces to ensure that all food is cooked in a hygienic environment.

During this period of the year, many people travel to different holiday destinations for their much-needed break. I urge the public to make use of our travel clinics for flexible travel health solutions to keep you safe whilst traveling locally and abroad. The travel clinics are staffed with knowledgeable professional who will be able to assist you with pre and post travel advice and screening including destination
specific vaccines.

Look out for regular weather updates on the heatwave. Keep an eye out for signs of heat illness. (Unconscious, irritable, restless, and cannot breathe easily, feeling dizzy, sore head and dry mouth or tongue). Remember to drink lots of water to keep hydrated, stay out of the sun as much as possible, limit outdoor activity to the coolest times of the day, wear a hat, and use sunscreen.

It is important to seek medical help early when not feeling well. Delaying in seeking help often results in complications. I wish you all a safe festive season. Let us take these proactive measures to ensure that our celebrations are filled with joy and free from health concerns. Stay vigilant, protect yourself and your loved ones and enjoy the festivities!