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Air Ambulance Servicesaves 778 lives nationwide
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Zimbabwe's Government-backed Air Ambulance Service has successfully responded to 778 civil emergency cases across the country since its launch in August 2024, a new report has revealed.
The service, run through a partnership with Russia's HeliDrive Air Medical Services, has been hailed as a milestone in President Emmerson Mnangagwa's drive to modernise the healthcare system and expand access to emergency medical care, especially in remote areas.
According to Dr Freddy Mhondiwa, Helidrive Zimbabwe's medical director, the service is transforming the national emergency response system:
"Since the launch, a total of 778 civil emergency cases have been successfully attended to across the country. Between July 14 and August 20, 2025 alone, the service responded to 125 cases, with a balanced gender distribution of 62 males and 63 females. Of these, 66 were adults, while specialised care was extended to 18 paediatric patients, 19 neonates and 22 maternity emergencies."
The free air transfers have benefited hospitals in Musami, Madziva, Makunde, Sadza, West Nicholson, Victoria Falls, Gwanda, and Mt Darwin, boosting response capacity in hard-to-reach communities.
The service is staffed by a mix of Zimbabwean and Russian doctors, nurses and emergency responders, operating around the clock. Patients are treated with intensive care-level support mid-flight, bridging the gap between rural areas and central hospitals.
Since its inception, the air ambulances have dealt with maternal emergencies, malaria cases, mining accidents, knife wounds, and road traffic injuries. Among the most dramatic rescues was a mid-air birth of a healthy baby boy delivered from a 13-year-old mother en route from Maphisa Hospital to United Bulawayo Hospitals.
Gweru Provincial Hospital also recently hosted its first inter-hospital air transfer, involving a seven-month-old baby managed by paediatric specialists.
Zimbabwe's air ambulance fleet — 18 Russian-made Ansat and Mi-17 helicopters acquired last year — is already credited with saving lives, particularly in rural and disaster-prone areas.
Dr Mhondiwa said more than 70% of cases have been critical, underscoring the importance of the service. Rollout has so far covered Harare and Bulawayo, with Victoria Falls next in line.
With its proven ability to respond swiftly and effectively, the Air Ambulance Service is emerging as one of the most important health interventions of the Second Republic, bridging geographical divides and bringing lifesaving care closer to communities once beyond reach.
The service, run through a partnership with Russia's HeliDrive Air Medical Services, has been hailed as a milestone in President Emmerson Mnangagwa's drive to modernise the healthcare system and expand access to emergency medical care, especially in remote areas.
According to Dr Freddy Mhondiwa, Helidrive Zimbabwe's medical director, the service is transforming the national emergency response system:
"Since the launch, a total of 778 civil emergency cases have been successfully attended to across the country. Between July 14 and August 20, 2025 alone, the service responded to 125 cases, with a balanced gender distribution of 62 males and 63 females. Of these, 66 were adults, while specialised care was extended to 18 paediatric patients, 19 neonates and 22 maternity emergencies."
The free air transfers have benefited hospitals in Musami, Madziva, Makunde, Sadza, West Nicholson, Victoria Falls, Gwanda, and Mt Darwin, boosting response capacity in hard-to-reach communities.
Since its inception, the air ambulances have dealt with maternal emergencies, malaria cases, mining accidents, knife wounds, and road traffic injuries. Among the most dramatic rescues was a mid-air birth of a healthy baby boy delivered from a 13-year-old mother en route from Maphisa Hospital to United Bulawayo Hospitals.
Gweru Provincial Hospital also recently hosted its first inter-hospital air transfer, involving a seven-month-old baby managed by paediatric specialists.
Zimbabwe's air ambulance fleet — 18 Russian-made Ansat and Mi-17 helicopters acquired last year — is already credited with saving lives, particularly in rural and disaster-prone areas.
Dr Mhondiwa said more than 70% of cases have been critical, underscoring the importance of the service. Rollout has so far covered Harare and Bulawayo, with Victoria Falls next in line.
With its proven ability to respond swiftly and effectively, the Air Ambulance Service is emerging as one of the most important health interventions of the Second Republic, bridging geographical divides and bringing lifesaving care closer to communities once beyond reach.
Source - newsday
