MAMA Medevacs
In the past 10 years, Manolos Aviation has supported the MAMA medevac program through its own commercial activities and support from Trukai Industries Ltd to purchase medical equipment.
The company has signed memorandum of agreements with certain districts around the country for this program.
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Manolos Aviation Ltd takes pride in delivering this life saving service and extends its gratitude to our generous community, main sponsor, Trukai Industries Ltd and all its partners who, without their support, this MAMA Program could not be possible.
You can follow us on our Facebook and Instagram page to get more updates on our medevacs.
Join us in 2021 to bring hope to those in need. Our people need us.
OUR MEDEVAC ORIGIN STORY
It all began on our first ever medevac flight in 2009, when a pregnant woman from lablab, a remote village in Morobe Province, died from lack of quick critical care. For our founder & CEO, one preventable death was one too many, and it was the birth of what would turn into a dedicated passion for saving lives in Manolos Aviation.
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What started off with just a helicopter, pilot and stretcher in 2009 has now, 12 years later, turned into a team of passionate and dedicated specialized critical care flight nurses, trained medevac pilots and operations team.
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The medevacs continue to define how we run our operation - People First, because every life is worth fighting for.
MAMA Medevac
The MAMA Medevac Program came about as part of Manolos Aviation’s effort to support the PNG Government’s 2050 vision to reducing infant and maternal mortality rates in PNG.
In 2014, and in collaboration with the Morobe Provincial Government and Angau Provincial Hospital, we embarked on the first of its kind project. We began evacuating women who experienced complications due to pregnancy and childbirth, to Angau Provincial Hospital, most often from remote areas of Morobe.
What We Do
Carrying out medevacs in PNG comes with immense challenges, to name a few; the difference in local dialect makes it hard for effective communication, unreliable network communication to relay timely information and assessment of patient, health facilities with no manpower or appropriate medical equipment, and the list goes on.
Taking the challenges into consideration, Manolos Aviation works closely with local level governments and provincial governments, to ensure the best approach to the Medevacs.
To further enhance the Manolos capabilities, the company employs full-time flying medevac nurses who are onboard every medevac fight to stabilize and monitor patients en-route to hospitals.
Our Challenges
In the midst of providing this life saving service, the MAMA Medevac Program has had its fair share of challenges; however, we also appreciate it as it comes with the effort to make a difference.
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Communication difficulties make it hard for remote communities to call for help quickly,
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Poor or non-existing medical facilities and personnel in these areas make it hard to fully grasp the patient’s condition until we get there,
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Rugged terrains make it difficult to get to patients as they are carried on makeshift stretcher, sometimes, through thick forest and across rivers to a clearing just enough for the helicopter to land,
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Re-training existing staff and employing and managing medical professionals is vital to the Medevac operations, thus we are constantly seeking specialist to help maintain the quality of the Medevac program.
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Maintaining and improving hi-tech medical equipment on board flights is a key element in providing adequate support and ensuring the nurses is well equipped to attend to patient on site and in flight,
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The cost of the project escalates as demand for Medevac increase
"There is nothing more satisfying to us than knowing a child still has a mother." - Manolos Aviation CEO, Jürgen Ruh
YOU'RE IN GOOD HANDS
Our medevac nurses, pilots & operations team are available and on standby 24/7 and are able to deploy within 20 mins from call-out. Our Team are fully medically equipped which contributes to our service being very efficient in situations where time plays a huge factor.
Nurses
Our Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) nurses are full-time employees and are fully medically equipped. They are highly experienced in critical care nursing and ensure the greatest level of medical care for patients in-flight. They are understanding, sympathetic and equipped with the knowledge to handle any situation that may arise.
Coordinators
Our operations team are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to discuss, coordinate, and carry out the most appropriate transfer and care of patients.
Pilots
Our pilots all have many years of experience in the private, commercial and Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) sector.