The Gauteng Department of Health has bought 30 more ambulances in an effort to improve its response times to priority calls. The ambulances are expected to be received this month.

The department has noted that its fleet of ambulances is ageing and fewer ambulances are operational because a number of its vehicles are undergoing repairs.

This has affected response times for priority calls. The provincial emergency medical services had achieved a 40 minutes response time for all calls in rural areas.

Four out of five calls (88%) in urban areas were responded to within 60 minutes.

The department is committed to improving emergency medical services in the province and has undertaken a recapitalisation project which will see a gradual improvement in ambulance fleet and its management.

The communication infrastructure within the emergency medical service is also being improved.