Online Reporter
Sikhumbuzo Moyo
BULAWAYO welcomed the first of two dedicated air ambulances from Helidrive Zimbabwe company yesterday, marking a significant boost to emergency medical services in Matabeleland region.
The state-of-the-art helicopter, destined for the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH), touched down at Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport shortly before 11 AM yesterday.
The crew, comprising four members, including Russian co-pilots Aleksander Rusanov and Denis Salikhov, arrived alongside the aircraft
The City of Bulawayo is expected to receive the second helicopter soon.
The two air medical rescue services helicopters will service the entire Matabeleland region and are expected to offer swift medical attention to victims of road traffic accidents, among other serious medical emergencies.
They are part of the six helicopters that will be deployed in four stations — Harare Metropolitan, Manicaland, Victoria Falls, and Bulawayo Metropolitan.
“The helicopter will be based here in Bulawayo. This is a Presidential project and we are working on his instructions,” said Rusanov.
President Mnangagwa and his Government are modernising the health sector as part of deliberate efforts to create a modern, prosperous, and highly industrialised country by 2030.
In June, the President was in Russia where he scouted for investors to help set up the air ambulances.
The investor, Russian Helidrive Air Ambulance, swiftly came to Zimbabwe and is assisting in the setting up of an efficient air ambulance service manned by highly skilled medical doctors, nurses, engineers, dispatchers, and pilots.
The Air Ambulance service boasts a fleet of over 100 medical helicopters, dedicated to saving lives across the entire Russian territory for the past nine years.
The recruitment and training of local personnel was done in Harare in handling air medical services with the company recruiting 40 local pilots, 50 doctors, 100 nurses, 100 dispatchers, and 10 engineers.
Air ambulances are primarily used to transport patients from inadequate levels of care to higher levels of care, or to take them home if unable to travel via commercial flights.
These specialised aircraft are designed to navigate geographical barriers and provide the same level of medical care available in an intensive care unit.
Air ambulances are also sometimes necessary if a patient needs long-distance or emergency transport and is unable to use a commercial flight due to their medical condition.
These airborne ICUs are equipped with cutting-edge medical technology and manned by highly trained medical personnel, ready to manage a wide spectrum of medical emergencies en route to care facilities.
This unique combination of speed, access, and comprehensive care capabilities positions air ambulances as a critical component of emergency medical services worldwide.
Zimbabwe has recently embarked on a transformative journey in its healthcare sector with the launch of air ambulance services.
This initiative, spearheaded by the Government and supported by international partnerships, marks a significant milestone in improving emergency medical response and healthcare accessibility across the nation.
The air ambulance service in Zimbabwe officially took off in August 2024, coinciding with the 44th Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit.
The helicopters are equipped with advanced medical facilities and staffed by trained medical personnel, ensuring rapid and efficient medical transport for critically ill patients.
One of the first successful missions of the air ambulance service involved transporting a cardiac arrest patient from Chegutu to Harare.
This mission, which took only 20 minutes, significantly reduced the travel time compared to the two-hour road journey, adhering to the “Golden Hour” principle in emergency care.
This rapid response capability is crucial in saving lives, particularly in remote and underserved areas.
Welcoming the arrival of the second air ambulance, Winos Dube, chairperson of the Bulawayo Residents Association (BURA), hailed it as a significant step forward in improving healthcare access for the city’s residents.
However, Dube stressed the importance of ensuring equitable access to these critical services, emphasising that the benefits of this vital resource must extend beyond the privileged few.”
“We applaud the Government and our President for the kind gesture, we however hope that every person who needs emergency medical attention will access this. It must not be based on one’s position in society but generally, we are excited as its presence will indeed save lives,” said Dube
