Our Director Mr Jurgen Ruh gives an account of an emergency medical evacuation he did on Friday 02nd June, 2023, whilst in Port Moresby for a VIP flight charter. With helicopter medical evacuations in Papua New Guinea, you always have to go even when you're not ready, in this medevac experience, three lives were saved.
"What a beautiful Medevac this was…
Look at the smile of the mother. She was in pain being moved from the Ambulance to the Helicopter. She had twins to be delivered, the first twin was a breech presentation. Imagine her pain, yet such a beautiful smile of a mother who now knew that she was being saved.
I was in Port Moresby with my VIP Helicopter P2–DAD when I got the message at 9:23am from my medevac operations office in Lae, stating an emergency at Misima in Milne Bay Province. A mother with twins, obstructed labour, and they could detect only one heartbeat.
My Helicopter was VIP (passenger) configured, no stretcher. I was looking for faster and better options to help the mother quickly.
First option considered was Dr Barry from Hands of Rescue in Alotau with this seaplane P2-HOR, however he was overseas this time.
Second option was Helifix, in Alotau at the time, they refused citing single engine over water which is an acceptable assessment of risk.
Third option was Saint John Ambulance with their Tropic Air partnership. Saint John had earlier advertised that they had funding on hand for Aeromedical retrievals. However calls did not bear any fruits within the first 20 minutes so I dispatched with my Heli. In fact even 3 hrs after first contact, the Saint John Team was still talking the talk instead of walking the walk. I was informed that Alotau Hospital was requested to pay in advance on a Friday afternoon, prior to dispatching for an emergency.
I flew from Port Moresby to our Alotau base, where I quickly refueled three drums of Jet-A1 for the 540km flight over water. All my helicopters are twin engine and I always feel safe to fly a long distance over water.
Upon arrival at Misima, it took 8 minutes to load the patient and we returned to Alotau. The expected outcome was to save the mother and one child, as only one heartbeat was detected.
On arrival at Alotau, the Provincial Hospital Gynaecologist Dr. Kariwiga quickly attended to the mother and she received an emergency Caesarean Section to deliver the babies.
Later at night I enquired about the outcome, and to my pleasant surprise, both twins did survive their ordeal and were born alive. Of course the mother survived as well, and I am happy to report, that her other child from an earlier pregnancy still has the mother to grow up with."
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