09 Feb 2021

Government currently runs nine Emergency Medical Service (EMS) bases, Assistant Minister of Health and Wellness, Mr Setlhomo Lelatisitswe has said.

Mr Lelatisitswe noted that the EMS bases were in Gaborone, Lobatse, Mochudi, Mahalapye, Palapye, Selebi Phikwe, Francistown, Kasane and Maun.

He said while the EMS bases were not equitably spread out in the country, the ministry was in the process of setting up and opening EMS bases in other places in the country as a way of promoting wider access.

He, however, noted that this would be done in a phased approach owing to budgetary constraints.In addition, he said plans were in place to establish an EMS base in Ghanzi in the financial year 2021/2022 depending on availability of resources.

He said the establishment of EMS bases in Tsabong and Shakawe would be considered in the future owing to availability of resources.

With regard to acquiring air support services (helicopter) to assist EMS operations, Mr Lelatisitswe noted that the ministry relied on outsourcing air support services to the private emergency medical service providers as and when the need arose.

He highlighted that the ground ambulance system was still at its infancy stage, and added that once it improved, the ministry would consider the cost-effectiveness of acquiring air ambulance services.

In the past five years, Mr Lelatisitswe noted that his ministry had spent a total amount of P71 356 550 for air patient transport services.

He said P16 082 670 was spent in 2015/16, P11 440 299 in 2016/17, P11 315 673 in 2017/18 while in 2019/2020 the ministry spent P18 085 817.

The MP for Bobonong, Mr Taolo Lucas had asked the minister to update Parliament on the spread of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) bases in the country, and state if such bases were equitably spread out in the country.

He also asked if there were any plans to establish EMS bases in Ghanzi, Tsabong and Shakawe as well as acquiring air support services to assist EMS operations in saving lives.

He also asked the minister on costs incurred towards hiring air support services from private emergency medical service providers in the past five years.ends