By Emmanuel Nduka
At a recent assembly of distinguished aviation and transport experts—including journalists and stakeholders from both government and private sectors—an avid conversation was ignited by a passionate Nigerian emphasizing the critical need for robust and readily deployable air medical ambulance services across the continent, with Nigeria for starters.
Air ambulances are elite medical services that deploy aircraft to transport patients facing life-threatening conditions, both domestically and internationally. The deployment is supreme in remote areas and in situations demanding urgent medical intervention. Helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft are classically deployed for these high-stakes missions.
On Thursday, October 3, 2024, attendees of the 4th Annual Workshop of the Abuja Transport and Aviation Correspondents Association were captivated by Dr. Emeka Okengwu, as he chronicled the life-saving experience of a close friend. His friend was timely airlifted from Nigeria to South Africa for urgent treatment, potentially evading a fate that could have worsened with any further delay, all thanks to his pact with a South African air ambulance provider.
In his keynote address, the aviation expert and CEO of Anthill Concepts detailed how a medical flight took merely four hours to retrieve his friend, who had sustained a gunshot wound in Nigeria. The swift response, he noted, was facilitated by the insurance policy with the South African provider. “Unfortunately, I’m uncertain whether Nigeria possesses such an efficient air ambulance system. We have not been able to plan our transport system in such a way to address these types of pressing challenges,” he said.
Thankfully, his insights sparked vital discussions about the urgent necessity for these services across Africa, with a keen focus on Nigeria. Although Nigeria’s air ambulance capabilities do not yet rank shoulder-to-shoulder among the continent’s leaders, Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is making strides, offering air medical transport for rapid evacuations and emergencies “to anywhere in the world”.
Following a period of inactivity, NEMA’s air ambulance service resumed operations in August 2022, having successfully completed routine maintenance and met all civil aviation standards. “The air ambulance can be used to transport patients with critical and traumatic health situation from anywhere the individual is. As a matter of fact, the jet can go anywhere in the world; it has the mile range of 3000 miles,” Capt. Ibrahim Mamman, Chief Pilot and Head of NEMA’s Special Wing said at the time.
Given Africa’s geographical and humanitarian challenges, limited healthcare resources, and persistent public health crises, air ambulances are indispensable to the continent’s health infrastructure. Despite the successes recorded during global health emergencies, Africa continues to grapple with outbreaks such as cholera, Ebola, COVID-19, and, more recently, Marburg and Mpox.
In an interview with Capital, Stephen Gitau, the Chief Executive Officer and Accountable Manager of Kenya-based AMREF Flying Doctors, explicated that “the economic benefits of robust air ambulance services extend beyond healthcare”. “By ensuring quick and safe medical evacuations, these services boost confidence among tourists and international visitors, who are reassured that they will receive immediate and effective care in the event of an emergency,” he said.
Here are Africa’s top 7 countries with the best air ambulance services:
South Africa
South Africa has one of the most advanced air ambulance networks on the continent, strongly driven by private operators and a dedicated healthcare system that is equipped to handle critical care transfers, international evacuations, and remote area access. Its key providers are Netcare 911- offering emergency medical services and operates a fleet of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, and ER24 which provides air and ground medical transport, ensuring rapid response to emergencies around southern Africa, Africa and the surrounding islands.
Kenya
The East African nation’s air ambulance services have expanded significantly over the years, focusing on both urban and rural emergency responses. They are readily available for urgent care transfers, with some providers partnering with hospitals for seamless patient handover.
The Kenya Red Cross which operates air ambulances for medical emergencies, especially during disasters is one of its notable service providers. AMREF Flying Doctors also provides air evacuation services in medical emergencies across East Africa, spreading through Tanzania, Zanzibar, Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Burundi.
Egypt
As far as the entire North African region is concerned, Egypt has the most well-established air ambulance framework, largely supported by both government and private entities, providing emergency evacuations, transfers for medical tourism, and specialized patient care.
Egypt Air Medical Services and a few private companies are key providers.
Nigeria
At number 4, Nigeria has a mix of private and government-operated air ambulance services, though the private sector is more prominent. While the services cater to both emergencies and planned transfers, availability varies widely.
Indigenous carrier, Air Peace offers both domestic and international air medical transport with its air ambulance. The National Emergency Management Agency and the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) also assist in emergency medical evacuations, particularly in crisis situations.
Tanzania
Tanzania’s air ambulance system has developed to meet the needs of both urban centers and remote regions, with focus on evacuating patients from hard-to-reach locations to urban hospitals. Arusha Medivac Air Ambulance Service, the only provider in the country, operates out of Arusha Airport, servicing all of Tanzania, with rapid response to the Northern National Parks and easy access to tertiary medical facilities in Dar es Salaam and nearby Nairobi, Kenya.
Morocco
Morocco has a blend of public and private air ambulance services ensuring extensive coverage for medical emergencies.
Royal Air Maroc which offers air ambulance services through its medical transport division, is supported by several other private operators to facilitate air medical evacuations for both domestic and international needs, providing critical care transport, with access to modern medical equipment onboard.
Rwanda
Rwanda has made significant strides in air ambulance services, particularly for rural healthcare access, with emphasis on quick response times and partnerships with local health facilities to ensure comprehensive patient care.
AMREF Rwanda Flying Doctors provides air ambulance services focusing on emergency medical evacuation and healthcare access.
