Ministry of Health Paying $358,000 For Emergency Medical Evacuation by Air
The national government through the Ministry of Health released $358,000 to pay for the "urgent" medical evacuation of patients via air across the country, reported in the first months of 2010. The presidential aircraft, a Legacy 600, was not used in any of these cases, even though it was acquired by the government on the grounds it would be used the "social assistance" and governmental transport. The funds will come from the National Emergency Fund and will be distributed to the four companies who are in the medical evacuation business according to documents posted on the website of PanamaCompra. Benefit - Companies offering this service are: Helicópteros de Veraguas, Medical Life Flight, Love Aviation and Medical Wings Life Team, this last one created in late 2009. All have been direct contracts and have been based on the absence of National Naval Air Service (SENAN) units with the ability to address urgent medical cases in remote areas.
On average, the companies charge $2,800 dollars an hour for the rental of medical helicopters, said Health Minister Franklin Vergara. Patients, mostly from the remote provinces of Darien, Chiriqui and Bocas del Toro, have presented symptoms of acute appendicitis, impending childbirth, dehydration, injuries by knife or fire, among other life threatening conditions. According to the Presidency of the Republic, the Legacy 600 can land at the Tocumen International Airport, the Enrique Malek airport in David, the Alonso Valderrama airport in Chitré, on Isla Colón in Bocas del Toro, in Metetí in the Darién, at Marcos Gelabert, and at Howard.
Defending The Contracts - Vergara Minister said that whenever there is any need in remote areas, President Ricardo Martinelli has provided support with the Legacy 600. This, however, is far from reality because the Ministry of the Presidency has only reported that the Legacy 600 has been used for seven flights - all international. Rentals - In addition to this, the MOH manages the payment of $71,000 paid to other companies for the rental of ground ambulances, which have been contracted to provide logistical support for different events, most recently the International Fair of Azuero. Besides the presidential plane, Vergara said they have been supported by the National Civil Protection System and with "courtesies" - donated use of private aircraft. He argued that with the current crisis of equine encephalitis, the Ministry of Health hired an air ambulance to cover the areas of Metetí and Tortí. For this service, the Government will have to pay $25,000 per week. (Panama America)
Editor's Comment: It seems to me the government of Panama should have at least one very capable and robust medical evacuation helicopter on call 24/7. In case of extremes or national emergencies they could then outsource and let contracts to pick up what they can't handle internally.
