The Eastern Cape Health Department says violent attacks on emergency service personnel traveling in ambulances is becoming a disturbing trend in Port Elizabeth.
Spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo says paramedics were assaulted and attacked by two assailants in New Brighton on Thursday afternoon while attending to a diabetic patient .
Kupelo says the paramedics were able to fight off their assailants, but are scared of attending to calls due to attacks experienced over the last three days.
On Monday, medics found themselves in the line of fire when a man was gunned down while being loaded into an ambulance in Kwazakhele.
Kupelo warned that ambulance response time would be delayed if the department had to start resorting to the use of police escorts when responding to call outs in certain areas.
"We are extremely concerned and appeal to members of the community to help the department deal with these situations. This could mean delayed ambulance responses and when ambulance practitioners are trained it is emphasised that there safety comes first." says Kupelo.
