KwaDukuza Private Hospital (KPH) celebrated National Emergency Services (EMS) Day with the local ambulance services, their emergency department doctors and staff on Saturday, 17 October. Due to Covid-19 safety restrictions still in place, the event was limited to 30 guests and social distancing, mask-wearing and regular sanitizing applied. The hospital used this opportunity to honour the local ambulance services and their emergency department staff and doctors for their perseverance and extra hard work during this pandemic. KPH Hospital Manager, Dr Douglas Ross, welcomed everyone before highlighting the importance of emergency services and thanking everyone for their hard work and dedication. Thereafter, KPH emergency department unit manager, Simmi Moopanar, KPH nursing services manager, Renee Benny and Redpill Casualty Practice Manager, Dr Prasheen Rambaran joined Dr Ross in cutting a cake. Dr Deen Pillay of Redpill Casualty also touched base on the role of doctors and staff working in the emergency departments of hospitals. KPH Management would like to thank the attendees: ECG Medical Rescue, Alert EMS, IPSS Medical Rescue and RedPill Casualty for taking the time off from their busy schedules to attend the event, as well as Charmaine Lochanram, of Charmaine’s Novelty Cakes for her sponsorship of a delicious customized cake. “Emergency services personnel in South Africa have played and continue to play a vital role in COVID-19 outbreak response and case management, by responding to requests for assistance, triaging patients, and providing emergency medical treatment and transport for suspected and confirmed COVID-19 persons. We should honour all emergency service providers who play such a critical role in South Africa’s health and safety. These professionals respond to daily calls for urgent assistance and work tirelessly to serve their communities. They have made significant contributions and sacrifices during South Africa’s response to the Coronavirus pandemic, one of the most daunting and demanding challenges our country has ever faced. These heroic men and women need to be recognised for their efforts to deliver life-saving care and compassion. It was only fitting that we at KPH honoured those who provide emergency medical services at KPH for their tenacity and their life-saving skills at an event such as this. Thanks to their efforts, our local communities are safer, and more resilient”, shared Dr Ross. National EMS Day aims to recognise the important role of EMS in achieving universal health coverage in South Africa and is celebrated annually on 17 October.