Film exposes horrors paramedics face on job

Grim challenges they have to face on an average day make it a daunting task

A RIVETING documentary film highlighting the plight faced by emergency medical workers in the communities they serve is set to be screened in Mitchells Plain tomorrow.

It will then go to the Global Symposium in Health Systems Research in Liverpool in the UK.

The Red Zone Paramedics film tells the personal story of an ambulance crew working the night shift on New Year’s Eve in Mitchells Plain – an area with high levels of gang-related violence.

The short film tells the everyday experiences of life on the road of Abdul Waheem Martin, a paramedic and Tafelsig resident.

Director Leanne Brady, who is a doctor, said the idea of the film came in 2016 when she heard about EMS crews being attacked and decided to ride around with some crews to hear their stories.

“I wanted people to understand how violence affect the health system and why we need the medics because as someone who is also in the medical field, I know how much they need to be valued and how much we need them.

“So in order to do the film I needed to understand their job and why they want to deliver despite the challenges they face.

“So I would drive along when they go to the different areas,” she said.

“Paramedics do their utmost to uphold the high standards required not only by their superiors and international health organisations, but by themselves as well. But the grim challenges they have to face during the course of an average day make it a daunting task,” said Brady.

From January to July this year, about 40 attacks on ambulance crews were reported, according to a provincial government report.

The film was screened at the Encounters South Africa International Documentary Festival in June and has also been screened at at number of international health events, including a World Health Organisation Human Resources for Health meeting in Dublin.

The free community screening, which is funded by the University of the Western Cape, will be followed by a question and answer session with paramedics and the filmmaker.

It will be at the Thusong Hall in Tafelsig, on Saturday, August 11, from 12.30pm to 4pm.