Maldives' first air ambulance service for health emergencies was launched on Friday.
The service will be provided by the Maldives Emergency Medical Services in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Island Aviation. The service will be available 24 hours.
The air ambulance made its maiden trip on Friday night to transport a patient from Kulhudhuffushi.
According to the Health Ministry, the service will strengthen the pre-hospital care and sustainable emergency care system.
Launching an air ambulance service was a pledge made by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu. He assured that, if needed, patients can be transported to Thailand.
Health Minister Abdulla Khaleel said on Thursday that arrangements have been made so that patients can be transported to India and Sri Lanka directly and that patients can travel to Thailand after making a transit.
A seaplane and a Dash-8 aircraft will be used for the air ambulance service.
Both aircraft are equipped with facilities to provide emergency medical services. They will be equipped with oxygen, ventilators, defibrillators and emergency injections.
The aircraft can carry two passengers at a time while the seaplane can carry only one passenger. The ministry said stretchers will be added based on demand.
They will be staffed by 15 emergency medical personnel, including doctors and nurses. The air ambulance will transport patients to the nearest tertiary hospital.
Adhadhu understands that the facilities needed for the air ambulance service were provided by the telecommunications company Ooredoo.
A reliable source told Adhadhu that some of the medical equipment had been installed and that the service was launched without establishing all facilities.
Ooredoo will provide the medical facilities for the air ambulance, a media official for the national airline, Maldivian, told Adhadhu.
The medical equipment in the air ambulance is estimated to cost MVR 16 million. Under the agreement with Ooredoo, the Ooredoo logo must be displayed on the flight. But the logo has not yet been put up on the aircraft.
