Eastern Cape scooter ambulances: Eastern Cape Department of Health spokesperson Siyanda Manana explained how they decided to show Minister of Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize, scooter ambulances instead of the mobile clinics they had bought for a staggering R10-million stating their intention was never to deceive the Minister. “We wanted to show the minister what is possible. We did not intentionally deceive him,” Manana said.
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In sharp contrast to Manana’s assertion, the scooter ambulances were presented again at Mooiplaas near King William’s Town. The media was called to record how the ambulances will transport patients from one point to another.
The scooter ambulance supplier Brian Harmse confirmed his company Fabkomp won a tender to make mobile clinics but only brought the motorbike ambulances as he had only one mobile clinic. He told the health department that his scooters were meant for Kenya and not South Africa.
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The MEC for Health, Sindiswa Gomba seems to have the wrong information and her speech worsened the situation as questions were raised over the decision to use money meant for fighting Covid-19 ended up being used to buy motorcycle ambulances.
Gomba referred to mobile clinics in her speech. She said, “We are fighting the spread of Covid-19 and most of our energy is focused on that. But that does not mean we have neglected other health issues. This is why we are gathered here today, which is a historic day for our province and the department as we are launching the 100 EMS scooters. These are not your ordinary scooters. They are specialised and have beds. We are introducing the use of scooters because for far too long we have heard how our ambulances could not get to people in far-flung rural areas. Ours is a rural province and because of its terrain, we sometimes could not get to people who desperately need medical attention, especially when it rains. Not any more. That will now be a thing of the past. With these scooters, we will be able to get to some of the most remote areas. We are ensuring that people in hinterlands also get an effective and efficient health care service. Minister Mkhize, we are ensuring that just because people live in rural areas should not disadvantage them. Not any more. We are levelling the playing fields with these specialised scooters so that we do not hear horrific stories of how people’s lives might have been saved had ambulances been able to get to them. We want everyone to have access to medical care. Even if you are in the mountainous Matatiele or Lusikisiki we will get to you. No matter how treacherous the roads leading to your village we will now be able to get to people in need of medical care.”
The R10-million tender appears as an order placed in the procurement documents of the Eastern Cape health department.
Minister of Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize showed his support for the Eastern Cape project saying the motorcycles were not meant to replace ambulances but could be used for other purposes such as mobile testing and transportation of medicine and patients.
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