Durban - PARAMEDICS are against carrying guns to protect themselves from criminals while on duty, saying their job is to save lives and not take them.
Over the past six months, about 30 paramedics were attacked with some privately-owned emergency medical services resorting to employing security guards as escorts or relying on the police for protection.
Paramedic Jowaria Hiralal, of Accimed Response, said she was concerned by the threats to her safety but was adamant that being armed was not the answer.
She said robbers could turn around and use the guns on them.
Hiralal, an advanced life support paramedic, said they avoided travelling to high risk rural or isolated areas.
But if the call-out was for an emergency, she said she and her colleagues are backed up by security or police personnel.
“From our head offices, we also track the vehicles and are in constant contact with the teams, so we can radio for help if the need arises.”
Gareth Naidoo, of KZN VIP Medical Services, which is also privately-owned, added: “We have 18 paramedics and service most of the northern areas in Durban. If they are required to go out to a scene, they are accompanied by an armed guard in an unmarked vehicle. Their jobs is to save lives, not take them.”
Robert McKenzie, of KZN EMS, said that while their core function was to serve others, they now needed the community to help find the perpetrators attacking their colleagues.
He said some paramedics are concerned about their safety and feared going out. “We need to bring an end to these attacks.”
During the festive season, the president of the South African Emergency Personnel Union (Saepu), Mpho Mpogeng, called on the union’s 7000 members to arm themselves with guns.
He told POST this remained his stance, adding that if the attacks continued, paramedics needed to fight fire with fire.
The union came under fire for this but Mpogeng said they remained unapologetic and had no intention of withdrawing their call.
“Government is not making enough of an effort to address this problem and arming our paramedics with guns is the best solution right now. In the past six months, we have had 30 attacks, some occurring on a daily basis.”
He said they wanted government officials to visit communities to address their concerns. Mpogeng hoped the culprits would be identified and prosecuted.
“We have no-go zones in certain areas because it is too dangerous and because of this, people are being deprived of health care. Here we want the government to provide us with security, so we can help these people in need.”
But the Department of Health has condemned the union, saying carrying guns will not solve the problem.
The KZN Health MEC, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, condemned the attacks while visiting a paramedic who was stabbed.
Dhlomo said it was worrying that a health worker in full uniform on duty was attacked by thugs.
“This is part of a social ill. These people who attacked him must have been under the influence of something.”
Dhlomo added that if the paramedics are armed, there must be some sort of training for these medical professionals.
Raveen Naidoo, the national director of emergency medical services and disaster management at the Health Department, said they have taken steps to address the attacks on emergency personnel.
The director of Gun Free South Africa, Adele Kirsten, said carrying guns could be to the detriment of paramedics.
“We know that arming people increases the potential for violence. (A gun) is a good offensive weapon, which is why you would arm your police force or military, but it’s not a good defensive weapon, so all the evidence shows that you increase your risk of being injured or dying.”
National police spokesperson Vish Naidoo said it was up to employers to decide whether paramedics should be allowed to carry firearms for protection.