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Paidamoyo Chipunza Senior Health Reporter
A French company, Medevac Zimbabwe, is working on introducing helicopter ambulances in the country, a development which is expected to see victims of road traffic accidents being airlifted.

Medevac Zimbabwe chief executive Mr St John Smallbones said the healthcare initiative was in response to the new political dispensation’s “Zimbabwe is open for business” mantra, which encouraged his company to pursue investment in the area of medical evacuation.

Mr Smallbones said his company was engaged in talks with the Ministries of Health and Child Care and Transport and Infrastructural Development on operationalising the project .

Once talks are complete, Mr Smallbones said, the initiative was expected to cater for every citizen under a mass public fund.

He said the service was expected to assist victims within 25 to 30 minutes after an accident occurred.

“We are putting in place a 24-hour patrol on the roads and depending on severity of an accident, we will then bring in a fleet of helicopters to airlift all victims to health facilities,” said Mr Smallbones.

“That move will put anyone in the country within 25-30 minutes of medical support.”

Mr Smallbones said the ambulances were fully equipped with all emergency systems and his company was looking forward to investing in Zimbabwe as it provided a good opportunity for the business.

“The air ambulances are fully equipped with emergency systems,” he said.

“We employ qualified ambulance technicians, registered general nurses and doctors many of whom with cardiac life support experience.”