The South African Human Rights Commission invites members of the media to a press briefing on the launch of the provincial hearing report on access to emergency medical services (EMS) in the Eastern Cape.
The Commission will also announce plans for a National Hearing into the same issue.
The press briefing will take place as follows:
Venue: SAHRC 4th Floor Main Boardroom, Forum 3 Braampark Office Park, 33 Hoofd Street, Braamfontein
Date: 1 October 2015
Time: 12h15 to 13h30
The launch of the report follows a two day hearing which was held at the East London International Convention Centre in March 2015. The hearing follows the complaint received by the Commission in March 2013 regarding ambulance services in the Eastern Cape and other complaints that the Commission has dealt with regarding this matter.
The Commission is thus launching this report after identifying a range of problems during the hearing on EMS and Planned Patient Transport (PPT) services which includes the complete lack of services in certain communities, the frequent unavailability of and uncertainty around services, poor response times, the lack of equipment, the shortage and incompetence of staff, and the inability of the provincial Department of Health vehicles to navigate the roads to access most areas in the rural parts of the province.
SAHRC Deputy Chairperson Pregs Govender will address the briefing, supported by Commissioner Adv. Bokankatla Malatji.
For more details and rsvp please contact:
Alucia Sekgathume
Tel: 011877 3627
Cell: 0826892364
E-mail: asekgathume@sahrc.org.za
