With the rising popularity of medical flight services in different parts of the world, Ethiopia joins the crowd by launching its first emergency transport service via air. This impressive move has been made by a private company known as the East African Aviation. The company is owned by former commercial pilot Captain Mulat Lemlemayehu.
More about East African Aviation
After having served as a commercial pilot for Ethiopian Airlines for 39 years, Lemlemayehu founded the East Africa Aviation company. As the first aviation company in the region to provide medical flight service, the company will be providing safe and efficient emergency transport by air. This will ensure that people requiring prompt medical attention receive care from medically-trained professionals.
The company comprises of a team of accomplished and qualified pilots who have been in service for Ethiopian Airlines for decades. In addition to providing medical service with air transport, East Africa Aviation also has an air charter service and an aviation school in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa.
Medical flight service a boon for East Africa
With a population of over 90 million, Ethiopia has been in dire need of air transport services that specialize in providing medical care. During the inaugural ceremony, owner/CEO of East African Aviation, Mulat Lemlemayehu was quoted as saying that such a service has been non-existing in the country.
He noted that Addis Ababa is not only a tourist hub in the region but also a diplomatic capital with a big international community. This makes it even more important for the country to have a flight service that will transport patients to hospitals for proper medical aid. Lemlemayehu also stated that their aircrafts are fitted with state-of-the-art medical equipment to ensure patients are safely transported while they receive the same level of care provided by a hospital ICU.
While this service will help hundreds of people in receiving a high level of medical care at the right time, it will also be highly beneficial for Ethiopia as a whole. Speaking on the inauguration ceremony, Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonnen even noted that this service is likely to contribute to the country’s economic growth.