BY BANELE MAGONGO
MBABANE – SMVAF Case Management Manager Ngeti Shongwe has commended the Fund’s productive collaboration with Emergency Preparedness Response (EPR), a key partner in road crash response.
This happened today at the SMVAF held at Happy Valley Hotel.
Shongwe acknowledged the strong partnership with EPR during her panel presentation on personal injury management and case studies related to road crashes and personal injury claims.
“We can recognise that a number of Emaswati’s lives have been saved through EPR and SMVAF collaboration,” she said.
Shongwe highlighted a tragic case of a woman who suffered injuries in a bus accident and was transported to the hospital by a kind passerby. According to Shongwe, had the victim received more appropriate medical transport, she may have survived. However, due to the severity of the accident and the circumstances surrounding her transport, the woman passed away a few days later.
She emphasized the swiftness of response to road accidents by both SMVAF and EPR, with ambulances strategically positioned throughout the country to attend to incidents promptly. She further highlighted the critical role EPR plays in severe cases, such as spinal cord injuries, where they immediately notify SMVAF of the accident and specify the hospital to which the patient is transported. With this information, SMVAF assumes control of the case, providing rehabilitation and treatment for the patient.
Shongwe further detailed the collaboration’s operational advantages, as ambulances are situated across the country, enabling both SMVAF and EPR to respond swiftly to road accidents. She also pointed out that in cases of severe injuries, such as spinal cord injuries, EPR promptly notifies SMVAF of the accident and the specific hospital where the patient has been transferred. This timely information enables SMVAF to assume responsibility for the case, providing necessary assistance, including rehabilitation and treatment.
Shongwe identified a potential area for improvement, suggesting that increased cooperation between state and private sector ambulances would greatly benefit emaswati. She expressed her desire to see SMVAF engage in stronger collaboration with state ambulances, emphasizing the shared goal of providing effective emergency medical services to the public.
