As part of Egypt’s efforts to enhance emergency medical services and speed up the transfer of patients, Health and Population Minister Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar met with representatives of Airbus Helicopters on Monday to discuss co-operation in developing air ambulance and helicopter emergency medical services.
Health Ministry spokesman Hossam Abdel Ghaffar said the meeting followed previous discussions between the ministry and the company on benefiting from its technical expertise and capabilities to establish an integrated air ambulance system, particularly for emergencies in remote areas, on motorways and in desert regions.
The meeting reviewed a proposal by Airbus Helicopters to provide two helicopters equipped for air ambulance services, including their technical specifications, medical equipment and available operating models.
The minister also discussed a proposed operating model in co-operation with Sky Cab and the possibility of putting the two helicopters into service in Egypt, as well as the technical, regulatory, operational and financial requirements for establishing and operating the integrated system.
The meeting also addressed ways to integrate air ambulance services with Egypt’s existing national emergency and ambulance network to ensure co-ordination among the relevant authorities. Abdel-Ghaffar stressed the importance of completing the necessary technical and regulatory studies and establishing a joint working mechanism ahead of agreeing on the next steps for implementation.
The meeting was attended by Egyptian Ambulance Authority Chairman Amr Rashid, Minister’s Assistant for International Relations Hatem Amer, Director-General of Foreign Health Relations Susan Zanaty, Airbus Helicopters North Africa Sales Director Maxime Nicolas, and Amr Saudi, representing Sky Cab.
