Paramedics deserve to be protected

We would suffer if paramedics were to stop responding to emergencies because they were fearful for their safety, so let’s protect them when they come to our communities.

In the latest incident, a patient was killed by a mob while emergency personnel were trying to help him at an informal settlement in Atteridgeville, west of Pretoria, on Monday.

When the paramedics arrived, the man was on the ground with angry residents around him. He was assisted and taken to the ambulance, but it was stopped by community members who pelted it with stones and blocked the road.

We saw heartbreaking pictures and videos of the attack circulated online. The man could be seen lying in his blood in the ambulance with large rocks that were apparently used in the assault next to him.

We have since learnt that there have been at least 24 violent attacks on paramedics in two years in Gauteng alone. The provincial department of health said half of these occurred this year while the other 12 occurred last year.

Gauteng coordinator for the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) Clement Marule said they were “concerned” about the safety of emergency personnel and had been calling on the employer to beef up security.

It is good that Nehawu is calling on the employer to protect their workers, but these attacks should be condemned in the strongest possible terms.

What sort of society have we become when emergency personnel get robbed and some are raped in our areas?

We owe paramedics protection in our areas as they are there to assist our sickly loved ones.

If they start flagging unsafe places and stop going, what would happen to ailing people? The poor would suffer more as they would have to hire cars to take their sick to health facilities.

Criminals are known in communities as they have relatives and friends... report them to the police. Community policing forums can also help to protect paramedics in our areas.

We also call on the police to assist with escorting paramedics to known hotspots.