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KZN Netcare 911 First EMS In SA To Be Recognised

Netcare 911 in KwaZulu-Natal is South Africa's first winner of an EMS Angels Award, which recognises excellence in prehospital stroke care.
Angels team 09 November 2023
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Members of Netcare 911's team in KwaZulu-Natal, which has been recognised with a gold EMS Angels Award for stroke care.


In a first for South Africa, Netcare 911 in KwaZulu-Natal has won a gold award in the  Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Angels Awards, which are endorsed by the World Stroke Organization.

“Ensuring quality standards in pre-hospital care is an essential component of stroke management for improving survival rates and quality of life outcomes,” says Zasskia Wiese Netcare’s national stroke programme coordinator. 

“We congratulate the Netcare 911 KwaZulu-Natal team for leading the way in emergency medical services [EMS] care for stroke patients and consistently reporting stroke data to the international RES-Q quality of stroke care registry, as this gold EMS Angels Award recognises,” she says.

Gary Paul, head of Netcare 911’s coastal operations, says public awareness of the signs of stroke as a medical emergency is the first step towards improving outcomes for South Africans affected by strokes. 

“There is a simple way to remember how to recognise a stroke and what to do: BE FAST,” he says:

B is for Balance: difficulty in maintaining balance
E is for Eyes: changes in vision

F is for Face drooping
A is for Arm weakness
S is for Speech: difficulty talking
T is for Time to get help immediately – every second counts

“This is lifesaving awareness because stroke is extremely time sensitive. Our team has worked hard to keep response times and transit time to a stroke-ready facility as short as possible because lives hang in the balance,” Paul says. 

“Being acknowledged with this first EMS Angels Award for South Africa means a great deal to us, and we would like to thank every member of the team for their role in earning this accolade.

“We are most grateful to the management of Netcare 911 and the Netcare Group for prioritising stroke systems and expertise, encompassing both pre-hospital and in-hospital care working hand in glove for the benefit of our patients,” he says. 

In any medical emergency, including suspected strokes, Netcare 911 is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, on 082 911. Or, to save time when seconds count, download the Netcare App now. The emergency call and geolocation functions assist in minimising response times by connecting callers and ensuring accurate location – even in remote areas or if the caller doesn’t know the address. The app also includes a Netcare 911 60-second call back option and detailed resource tracking, allowing users to follow the ambulance or response vehicles.

Issued by:  MNA on behalf of Netcare 911

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