​Kwanele Ximba
The Gauteng department of health has added 298 new ambulances to its emergency vehicle fleet  in an effort  to strengthen its emergency response in time for the festive season. 
The new fleet will go a long way in ensuring that the province responds to emergencies in a manner that reinforces patience's experience of care.
 "We are consistently looking at ways to improve our service rendering and part of this is about replenishing the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) fleet so that we have sufficient capacity to handle all kinds of emergencies, " said  Acting MEC for Health,  Jacob Mamabolo.
Of the 298 ambulances, 190 have been converted and are currently operational,90 Intermediate Life Support Ambulances and 100 Multi-Purpose Ambulances
The Department also procured 30 planned patient transport vehicles that are providing much needed service to the people of Gauteng.  
These vehicles are used to transport patients in-between clinics and hospitals in all the provincial health districts and metropolitan municipal areas.    
The rest of the fleet is in various stages of conversion and statutory inspections. The Department expects it to be ready before the start of the festive season.
"The festive season is a period which puts strain on EMS services in the province. The Gauteng EMS on average services over 100 000 calls, with 65% of those being emergency calls," said MEC Mamabolo. 
In addition to procuring EMS vehicles, the Department refurbishes ambulances and uses those as buffer fleet in cases of shortages, rotations and repairs.