- Plans to set up more bases in Botswana
- Seeks to establish clinics around the country
- SADC region includes Zambia, Eswatini and Namibia
Established in 2003, Emergency Assist 991 which turns 19 years this year, is on course to expand into new horizons following the launch of its new five-year strategy.
The 2022-2027 strategy started in March and targets exponential growth and profit maximisation. In an interview with The Business Weekly & Review this week, the Acting CEO of Emergency Assist 991, Chiseki Chiseki, said the new strategy was introduced after the 24-hour emergency assistance and medical service provider conducted a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis and it pointed to a need for total transformational expansion. The analysis also established that there are areas where the presence of Emergency Assist 991 is missing, such as on-site solutions. “On-site solutions is where, for instance, in some industries we go there and establish some sort of clinics – providing doctors, nurses, paramedics and fully equipped ambulances,” Chiseki said.
He noted that to commence its development of solutions targeting expansion, the mining sector has been identified as an area of opportunities. “Our strategy has also identified that we need to take our services closer to the communities where we are,” Chiseki said. “That means establishing clinics across the country where people can come and consult.” He added that Emergency Assist does not only seek to affirm its position as a dominant force in the local market but to penetrate other parts of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), plans for which exist. “We also established that our services are needed in SADC countries, among them Zambia, Eswatini and Namibia,” he said.
In response to a question about scouting of locations for expansion, Chiseki said they identified gaps in those markets and are looking for potential investors there. He added that there are limited private service players in some of the countries, especially service providers specialising in emergency medical response. Emergency Assist 911 is leaping into a future full of possibilities, he said, to add to its total of eight bases. “Our target is that we should be having at least 20 bases in Botswana by the end of the strategy,” Chiseki emphasised.
With over 130 employees, the 100 percent citizen-owned company has four main business units, namely emergency medical services (which includes air and road evacuations), roadside assistance (which entails assisting stuck road users), call centre services, as well as a newly introduced (2020) driver training academy. Emergency Assist 911 is present Gaborone, Francistown, Palapye, Kasane, Letlhakane, Ghanzi and Jwaneng and has 33 fully equipped vehicles spread across these places.
