Australasian College of Paramedicine International Conference (ACPIC24)

ACPIC 2024 delivered a wide range of clinical and research sessions from experts and leaders in paramedicine. Hosted in Sydney (September 2024) the program was designed to inspire, educate and broaden horizons.

Conference theme: Paramedicine's evolution – Embracing the new era

A retrospective analysis of paediatric patients managed by an ambulance service in the Western Cape, South Africa

This study examines the prehospital paediatric emergency care burden in the Western Cape, South Africa. The study found 87,457 cases were managed between January 2022 and December 2023, with most cases coming from rural areas. The most common presenting complaints were respiratory emergencies, non-cardiac pain, and trauma. Most cases were prioritised as priority 2, with these being children between one and five years old. Low acuity cases accounted for 67.3% of the sample, with the highest mortality occurring between 29 days and 12 months.

Biography: Dr Simpiwe Sobuwa

Dr Sobuwa is the Senior Lecturer and Acting Head of the Department of Emergency Medical Sciences at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. He is the Chair of the Professional Board for Emergency Care at the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). He is also the Vice-President of the HPCSA and chairs its Remuneration Committee. He has published several articles and supervised several Masters and Doctoral students to completion.

Moderator: Dr Verity Todd, College Research Advisory Committee member