It may be important to get to an emergency room but for the majority of Tsakane residents, it is less likely that patients get the help they need in life-threatening situations as government ambulances hardly arrive in Tsakane.
A shortage of ambulances has taken a toll on suffering patients because they are deprived of emergency service in Tsakane.
Johnson Gili, (54) from Cape Town who is currently residing in Tsakane Extension 12B shares to Ekurhuleni news how he struggled to get an ambulance. “I was admitted to Pholosong hospital where I was diagnosed with Tuberculosis (TB). I had breathing problems but fortunate enough I was told that I don’t suffer from asthma at least for the past years. Sadly, recently I had to wait for an ambulance for almost three hours. I had no money but my kids tried to get an Uber for me so I can make it to Pholosong hospital,” said baba Johnson.
It’s not just baba Johnson who thinks that this could lead to people dying if ambulances take time to arrive or don’t show up at all. This has been one of the most stressful issues for the residents of Tsakane.
He concludes that government hospitals should prioritise them as citizens because they rely on ambulances to get to hospitals. Ekurhuleni News has enquired about the deficiencies of ambulances in Tsakane and it is still waiting for a response from the Gauteng Department of Health.
By Zoleka Batsha
