Private ambulances pick up patients from the hospitals where they are discharged and bring them home. They also transport patients to and from nursing homes. Some companies need on-call ambulances for their employees especially when there are events outside their offices.
Private Ambulance Services In South Africa
How does ambulance services work in South Africa?
he National Health Act governs the dispatch of trained and registered paramedics to provide emergency medical help. Each ambulance has two paramedics on board and is stocked with life-saving medical equipment and medications. The South African Ambulance fleet consists of 5000 vehicles, including off-road vehicles for remote access, although in 2018, only 1971 public emergency vehicles were running.
The trip could cost you between R1000 and R5000 depending, but you may not, however, be refused medical attention based on your capacity to pay. In addition, many medical aid companies provide coverage for emergency services, so make a note to check with your medical provider.
Government Ambulance Services
Each ambulance that is dispatched is equipped to deal with Basic, Intermediate and Advanced life support, including specialized Neonatal Transfer and Adult ICU Retrieval Teams.
Although each ambulance is required to have at least one paramedic trained in Intermediate life support, this is not always the case. There is currently a shortage of qualified paramedics, so the standard has been dropped to include paramedics trained in Basic life support.
HealthNET
is a medical transportation system used for non-emergency travel for patients and can be booked online or through clinics or hospitals. This service is encouraged as many ambulances requests are made for non-emergency cases, putting unnecessary strain on the medical emergency systems.
Ambulance phone number:
Public ambulance service number:
10177 Cellphone ambulance contact number: 112
Community Medics
In 1998, two paramedics in Camps Bay founded this organization to relieve the strain on emergency response teams. Following their popularity, a second location opened on the City Bowl in Cape Town in 2003, and a third in Tableview in 2015.
Unlike other emergency response organizations, the Community Medics will assist you with your medical needs at no cost. Over fifty highly skilled volunteers, including physicians and paramedics, make up their team. Community Medics are available 24 hours, with an average response time of eight minutes.
Thanks to their partnerships, sponsors, and donations, they remain operational and provide a vital service that not all can afford. Hopefully, they can extend their range past Cape Town and assist at a national level one day.
Community Medics ambulance phone number: 087 230 0404
Private ambulance services
There are a few private emergency services to choose from, depending on your location and budget. Probably the most well-known is the ER 24 ambulance service, which is affiliated with Med clinic and provides assistance to individuals all around South Africa. ER24 provides high-quality medical care from 59 sites and collaborates with both private and public institutions.
ER24 ambulance emergency contact number: 084 124.
List of private ambulance services in South Africa Ambulance
De Vries Academy (Pty) Ltd: +27 879411 (Pretoria)
Advanced Paramedic Assist: +27 860 112 911 (Pretoria)
EAGLE TRAUMA RESCUE: +27 86 178 9911 (Rustenburg)
Dynamic Emergency Medical Services Cc: +27 43 726 2225 (East London)
Sozo Medical Rescue & Training: +27 23 614 2628 (Montagu)
Protoscape: +27 15 291 3778 (Polokwani)
Kwazulu Private Ambulance Service: +27 860 247 911 (Durban)
Cape Medical Response: +27 21 782 0606 (Cape Town)
Relay EMS: +27 86 106 1061 (Eastern Cape)
Resqcare EMS: +27 84 508 9111 (Gauteng)
Red Alert Ambulance Service: +27 43 703 4777 (East London)
Atlantic Medical Response: +27 22 772 2377 (Langebaan)
Axis Medical: +27 76 407 8362 (KwaZulu Natal)
How much does a private ambulance cost in South Africa?
Can you afford an ambulance in South Africa?
| Advanced Life support | ||
|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Area | Up to 45 Minutes | – |
| Up to 60 Minutes | R4,281.29 | |
| Every 15 Minutes thereafter | R1,070.32 | |
| Long Distance | Per km (>100km) with patient | R53.41 |
Are ambulances free in South Africa?
“If an uninsured patient is not experiencing a life-threatening emergency, they have access to the provincial emergency services which will render stabilisation and transportation to a hospital if required, at no cost to the patient.”
How do private ambulances make money in South Africa?
Ambulances can cost from R500 000 to well into the millions. Staff, equipment and many other items also cost money. When you go to the shops to buy food or water or anything else, you pay for the services there and then as the items and related services costs money to bring them to you.
How do you call an ambulance in South Africa?
In a medical emergency in South Africa, call 10111 or 10177. Some private health insurance providers also have their own medical emergency numbers. Netcare’s emergency contact number is 082 9111, while ER24 is available at 084 124.