MBABANE – For a pregnant woman, an emergency can be a matter of life and death, but imagine calling an ambulance and then, silence.
A total of 812 maternal emergencies went unattended over the past year due to fuel shortages affecting ambulance services, raising serious concerns about the reliability of emergency healthcare and the safety of pregnant women across the country. This means that, daily, at least three emergency cases related to ambulances are ignored.
The figure, drawn from the latest health sector performance report, points to a troubling reality: Even as thousands of women seek urgent medical care during pregnancy and childbirth, the system designed to respond is, in some cases, unable to reach them. Behind the number lies a deeper story of strained resources, logistical breakdowns and the potentially life-threatening consequences of delayed or absent emergency response.
In the same reporting period, emergency services received more than 461 000 calls. While this demonstrates the scale of demand placed on the system, it also highlights the gap between need and response. Among the most vulnerable were expectant mothers, many of whom require urgent transport during complications such as prolonged labour, haemorrhage or high blood pressure, conditions that can quickly become fatal without timely medical intervention.
Health officials warn that maternal emergencies are among the most time-sensitive cases in medicine. Minutes can determine whether both mother and child survive. When ambulances fail to arrive, families are often left scrambling for alternatives, which may be unavailable, unaffordable or too slow to make a difference.
Health officials, according to the report, said the 812 expectant mothers represented women who may have faced childbirth complications without skilled medical assistance. In rural and peri-urban areas especially, where distances to health facilities are longer and private transport options are limited, the absence of ambulance services can mean delivering at home under unsafe conditions.
At the centre of the issue is a basic but critical constraint: Fuel. According to the report, shortages have directly affected the ability of emergency medical services to respond to calls. Ambulances, even when available and staffed, cannot operate without fuel, effectively grounding a key component of the healthcare system.
Fuel shortages had been an issue in the country during the previous year, not just for health but across various departments as well, affecting emergencies such as police responses to crime and fire emergency personnel.
Nsindiso Tsabedze, the Communications Officer in the Ministry of Health noted that in many instances, sometimes, the calls may not necessarily be emergency though treated so.
He said in terms of fuel being the cause of the non-response, Tsabedze said the department did not have direct control of the distribution of fuel. However, he revealed that sometimes, the department buys its own.
Tsabedze also advised that considering the situation pregnant women may find themselves in, it is advisable where they are able to, that they move closer to hospitals as the delivery days approach. He said this can be possible where someone could afford to do so.
… 457 heart-related emergencies missed
MBABANE – At least 457 people suffering from life-threatening heart-related emergencies did not receive ambulance services over the past year, exposing another critical layer of strain within the country’s emergency response system.
The figure, revealed in the latest health sector report, highlights the growing risk faced by patients with acute cardiac conditions, where delays of even a few minutes can mean the difference between life and death. These cases include a range of serious conditions such as suspected heart attacks, severe chest pain, heart failure episodes and dangerous irregular heart rhythms. Medical experts emphasise that cardiac emergencies are among the most time-sensitive situations handled by emergency services. When a person experiences a heart attack, for example, rapid medical intervention is essential to restore blood flow and prevent permanent damage to the heart muscle.
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