Bluebird Aviation reports rise in emergency medical evacuation

Bluebird Aviation recorded an increase in the number of travellers seeking emergency medical attention in the last quarter of 2020.

The airline said it recorded more emergency medical request in 2020, fuelled by the coronavirus pandemic.

Bluebird Aviation General Manager, Captain Hussein Mohammed said while the number of patients seeking to be evacuated to qualified medical facilities took an upward trajectory, the airline did not record any COVID-19 patient during the period under review.

According to Captain Mohammed, many healthcare centres experienced pressure due to a rise in demand for medical services, fuelled by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This development led partly to the rise in emergency medical evacuation requests as patients look for the best means to get them to health facilities outside their jurisdiction,” he said.

Following a relationship that spans over 20 years with the Kenya Red Cross Society, Bluebird aviation has effectively responded to emergencies and disasters within our borders and across the region.

Among major national evacuations handled by Bluebird Aviation and Kenya Red Cross Society include the 2015 Garissa University College terrorist attack that left 148 people dead and 79 injured.