Shaheem De Vries

Medical Director : Emergency Medical Services, Western Cape Government Health, South Africa

Dr Shaheem de Vries is a medical doctor with nearly 18-years of experience in prehospital Emergency Care. As both the Chief Executive Officer (2013 – current) and the medical director of the Western Cape Government Health Emergency Medical Services, Dr De Vries provides oversight and governance of all ambulance, rescue, aeromedical and patient transport services for Western Cape Government Health, South Africa. This service covers 130 000 square kilometres with a fleet of 260 ambulances staffed by 2000 personnel, all executing over 500 000 missions per annum. Dr De Vries is a charter member of the African Federation for Emergency Medicine (AFEM) and served as its Chief Executive Officer between 2016 – 2019. He also serves as the core member of the OHEC working group which focuses on strengthening out of hospital emergency care systems across the African continent. This has also seen him serve as one of the global EMS experts to the WHO Emergency Care systems working group. Dr De Vries holds a MBChB from the University of Cape Town, a Diploma in Primary Emergency Care from the College of Medicine South Africa, a Master’s in Emergency Medicine and an executive MBA from the University of Cape Town. His MBA thesis explored post-heroic leadership within the Emergency Medical Services, a topic he hopes to pursue towards a PHD.