06 Jul 2021

Government does not have plans to establish public aeromedical evacuation services. 

Responding to a parliamentary question on Monday, Minister of Health and Wellness, Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe said the ministry would continue to outsource aeromedical evacuation services from private service providers in order to support private business initiatives on emergency medical services. 

Mr Lelatisitswe added that currently there was no public aeromedical evacuation unit, hence the ministry outsourced the service from private service providers who moved patients from less resourced health facilities to national referral hospitals and specialist hospitals in South Africa. 

He said aeromedical evacuation services were critical in that they reduced mortality and morbidity related to the burden of various time-critical emergency medical conditions. 

Owing to its speed, air ambulances reduced lead time of taking patients to definitive care, he said. 

Selebi Phikwe West MP, Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse had asked the minister to state the role and importance of aeromedical services. 

He also highlighted the need for fully-fledged public aeromedical services. ENDS