A Grahamstown woman, anguished by her 56-year-old partner’s death, has hit out at Grahamstown’s emergency medical services' slow response times.
A Grahamstown woman, anguished by her 56-year-old partner’s death, has hit out at Grahamstown’s emergency medical services' slow response times.
Caramell Frederick, 43, of Cloncore, near Grahamstown Station, said her nightmare had begun at home about an hour before midnight on Saturday, when her partner of 11 years, George van Greunen, complained of chest pains.
“I called Netcare Ambulance Services and I was asked if he had a medical aid,” Frederick said. “I said no and they gave me a number for the Emergency Medical Services. I called the ambulance and we waited
for about an hour, but it did not arrive,” she said.
The Emergency Medical Service is a provincial ambulance service, based locally in Sunnyside, on the southern side of Grahamstown, near Fort England Hospital. Frederick said she pressed the Hi-Tec panic button and the security officers were there within minutes.
“The security guards arrived and transported him to Settler’s Hospital in their vehicle,” said Frederick.
But instead of relief at Van Greunen finally being in good hands, Frederick said, her heart sank, as he remained unattended in the emergency room.
“One of the guards called the doctors to come and look at Trompie, but was told that the doctors
were busy. Nobody came to our assistance,” said Frederick, sobbing.
“If the ambulance had arrived earlier, Trompie would still be alive,” Frederick said. Giving Hi-Tec’s version of the incident, company manager Andre Wille said the control room had received a call from a woman who said she needed help.
“The guards arrived at the place and saw a man sitting on the ground. He had a weak pulse. Our control room office called for an ambulance, but after some time waiting, our response guys loaded him on to the vehicle and took him to hospital,” Wille said.
Wille said it had taken about 10 minutes to get assistance at the hospital. “By the time he was seen, he was already dead,” said Wille.
Police spokesperson Captain Mali Govender said an inquest docket had been opened. Comment could not be obtained from Emergency Medical Services at the time of going to print.
