Emergency Medical Services in the Western Cape faced unprecedented pressure during the festive season, with trauma cases soaring to 423 gunshot wounds and 4 450 stabbings, highlighting the urgent need for community safety measures. A surge in emergencies is how the Western Cape Health Department and Wellness described the outcome of trauma numbers as recorded at Emergency Centres in the province between December 14 and January 15, with 423 gunshot wounds, 4,450 stabbing injuries, and 1,163 MVAs. “Every year, the festive season places increased pressure on emergency services in the Western Cape as population movement, travel, and celebrations lead to a predictable surge in emergencies,” the department said.
EMS teams responded to a total of 47,351 emergency calls across all districts, with the highest demand recorded in the City of Cape Town, Garden Route, and Cape Winelands, driven by population density and seasonal migration, with volumes remaining consistently high throughout the month. Despite the surge, routine inter-facility transfers of patients between facilities continued and accounted for 15,879 cases, ensuring continuity of care across the system. Trauma remained a major driver of demand, with EMS responding to 7,353 assault-related cases and 1,437 motor vehicle incidents.
Seasonal risks also increased, with 93 drowning incidents and multiple wilderness and Table Mountain rescues, highlighting greater exposure in coastal, rural, and recreational areas. EMS Director Craig Wylie said: “Emergency Medical Services have been under immense pressure during the festive season. The EMS teams have demonstrated exceptional commitment and resilience.
Read Full Article on Cape Argus
[paywall]
Our call takers, dispatchers, and ambulance crews have answered thousands of urgent pleas for help, often under challenging conditions, and kept going with professionalism and heart. I’m profoundly grateful to our teams for being responsive to the needs of our community and our patients.” The department said Emergency Centres recorded a total of 130,004 patient admissions, including 29,272 trauma cases and 93,755 non-trauma cases. It said early indicators show that patients with chronic medical conditions made up a large proportion of EC admissions.
This added to the trauma load, increasing waiting time at many facilities. They shared that the highest patient volumes were recorded at Mitchells Plain District Hospital, Paarl Hospital, George Regional Hospital, Helderberg Hospital, and Wesfleur Hospital. Specialised trauma centres, including Groote Schuur Hospital and Tygerberg Hospital, also recorded a high proportion of trauma cases due to their referral role. “Patients are often transported to or referred between facilities, meaning the treating hospital may not correspond to the location of the incident,” the department said.
[/paywall]
