New R8.45m Villiersdorp ambulance station enhances emergency services

Source: Supplied. Western Cape Minister of Health and Wellness, Mireille Wenger, cuts the ribbon for the new Villiersdorp Ambulance Station. With her is Overberg District Mayor, Ald Sakkie Franken, chairperson of the standing committee for health and wellness Memory Booysen, member Duwayne Jacobs, EMS director Craig Wylie and EMS staff.

Speaking at the opening, Wenger said, “The establishment of this EMS ambulance station is a critical step in rendering an effective pre-hospital emergency medical service for Villiersdorp and its surrounding communities in the Theewaterskloof municipality.

"This is part of our effort to address the needs of rural communities in the Western Cape where ambulances travel great distances and response times can be slower. This brand-new ambulance station will help improve access and response times, which can be lifesaving when residents are critically ill or injured.”

The space designed for the new EMS facility was previously used for the Villierdorp Willa Clinic, which has since been replaced by the new Villiersdorp Clinic. Villiersdorp is a large farming community with a population that has grown over recent years.

The facility is home to three ambulance vehicles, and patients in Villiersdorp are transported to Caledon and Worcester Hospitals. In addition, the community also has access to one Healthnet vehicle (for non-emergency transport) to transport patients to other healthcare facilities.

Improved EMS services

EMS district manager, Ivan Naidoo, has welcomed the addition of the new building: “The opening of this building marks a huge stride by the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness Emergency Medical Services towards improving service delivery to our residents while empowering our staff.

"This new building will house approximately 16 EMS practitioners and one manager to provide quality emergency medical services to the Villiersdorp community and surrounding areas 24 hours a day. Our staff work shifts to provide emergency medical care to approximately 15,000 people and respond to approximately 500 calls per month.”

In addition, the new facility will significantly reduce travel costs and provide staff with access to training opportunities directly from the EMS base rather than staff needing to travel to Cape Town.