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The DA in Limpopo is concerned by the large number of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) vehicles that are non-functional or out for repairs or maintenance. These vehicles include ambulances, Planned Patient Transport (PPT) vehicles, rescue, response, and support vehicles. 

The province has 142 ambulances, 61 PPT vehicles, 22 support, 8 rescue and 3 response vehicles that are either non-functional or at merchants and are unavailable for use by residents. Districts like Mopani and Vhembe have more ambulances that are non-functional than those that are functional. 

A response to a DA parliamentary question in November 2022 revealed that the Limpopo Department of Health only has 262 Ambulances for a population of about 6 million people, despite a required ratio of 1 ambulance per 10 000 people. This means the province is short of 348 ambulances. 

The department has, however, indicated that they will be purchasing 500 ambulances but has not provided a timeline for the procurement of these new ambulances.

The DA already wrote to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) in December 2022, requesting an investigation into the access to EMS in the province due to a severe shortage of ambulances.

The Limpopo Department of Health needs to ensure that the EMS has better fleet management, time-efficient and well-run maintenance plans, and that areas with severe shortages are prioritised for new vehicles. 

The DA believes that everyone has the right to have access to adequate health care services, including functional EMS vehicles in the province.

Issued by Risham Maharaj MPL - DA Limpopo Spokesperson for Health