Not many in the West have heard of Saah Joseph but to the people of Liberia who are currently grappling with the Ebola epidemic, he is nothing short of a hero. He is a member of the lower seat of the parliament in Liberia. He started out with a fleet of six ambulances meant to serve his constituency. However, in a country where there are hardly a dozen air ambulances for the millions of citizens, Saah’s fleet was a lifeline. However, apart from the ground ambulances, the country is in need of medical flight services. The roads in Liberia are often in poor condition, making medical flight services a safer choice.
Raising the Money for Medical Flight Services
The cost of an aircraft comes to a whopping $5 million and this amount is not something that Saah Joseph can afford individually. Luckily for Liberians, a few anonymous donors from the United States have stepped forward with monetary help. Saah has already received $1 million from a single charity, which preferred to remain anonymous. It is also believed that another organization has come forward to help with $500,000. Saah made this information public through Forum for Democratic Reform.
Medical Flight Services Won’t Solve Everything
Liberia is going to need continuous funds to maintain the medical flight services which can be quite expensive. Maintaining the air ambulance alone can cost thousands of dollars annually. Saah has said that he would travel to the United States on a three-month trip to raise funds for the medical flight services. The efforts of the Liberian government have not been laudable when it comes to providing healthcare to its citizens. This latest effort has been a deviation from the norm and hugely welcomed by the citizens. For people who have been relying on private taxis during medical emergencies, the medical flight services will come as a great relief.
