NW Health’s inability to deliver emergency services results in R4 million owed to private ambulances
22 February 2021
Note to Editors: Kindly find attached soundbites in English and Afrikaans by DA North West Spokesperson on Health, Gavin Edwards.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in North West has submitted written questions to the MEC for the Department of Health, MadodaSambatha, requesting him to explain how the Department's failure to provide effective, efficient emergency services has resulted in R4 million in debt to private ambulance services.
The MEC should explain how a Department, with a budget of R408 million, of which R162 million has been allocated to the payment of contractors and special services, still failed to pay invoices within the prescribed 30 days.
While the Covid-19 Pandemic and the associated lockdown has had a devastating financial impact on residents of the North West, private ambulances have been expected to continue providing vital support without payment.