Who we are
The Emergency First Aid Response (EFAR) System is a community-based health intervention designed to both lay the foundation backbone of a new emergency medical system in a developing country, and to support it until full maturity
Started in 2008, the Cape Town EFAR System trains and dispatches Emergency First Aid Responders (EFARs) in areas of high crime violence, acute illness and accidents.
These EFARs are embedded in their communities and can respond to emergencies quickly by being called upon by their neighbors or by being dispatched via the local ambulance dispatch centre.
On-scene, the EFARs are able to keep emergency patients alive until fully equipped ambulances arrive, and in some cases they can transport the patients to the hospital directly.
What we do
- Training
EFARs are trained by their fellow community members, who are closely supervised by doctors and officials from the Cape Town Emergency Medical System... - Management
A governing body organizes the administrative logistics of the EFAR system. This includes funding the system, supplying medical equipment, maintaining the quality of the training and supporting community course instructors... - Research
The EFAR System is very new, and so a great amount of research is being done to perfect the model and to assess the system's impact on morbidity, mortality and the community at large... - Growth
After the success of the first EFAR System in Cape Town, we have received multiple requests to adapt and establish the system in other developing regions and foreign countries...
Get involved
We are looking for doctors, professionals, academics and students of all types to volunteer and become involved with our goal of providing quick emergency care to those in need
Contact us
For more information on how to apply please email a CV to Kim Claasen at Kimclaas@pgwc.gov.za
Include in the body of the email:
- Who you are, and that you are interested in working with us
- How long you would like to stay
- What fields you are interested in
- What you would like to do or any ideas you have for projects
- Any other questions or comments you have
We look forward to hearing from you.
