To say that you are surprised is an understatement when you learn that the most populated country in the whole world, China, did not have air medical transport services until recently. The country’s first air ambulance has now started operating in its capital Beijing. China’s capital is not like any other city; it is more populous than smaller countries that surround it. The country as a whole shelters over 1.3 billion people. The communist country has finally woken up to the fact that its citizens need speedy air medical transport services.
The Difficulties for Air Medical Transport are Many
If you are thinking that the woes of quick medical transport are behind China already, hold your horses. The country has only about 400 commercial choppers at present, let alone actual air medical transport vehicles. Adding to the present air medical transport chopper’s demand-supply gap, there are also some logistical problems. Beijing is known for its huge traffic jams, which can make reaching the patient pretty tough. Then, there are other problems like dense smog that can bring the visibility drastically down. Also, the country does not enjoy a structured air ambulance sector the way other countries like Canada, the US and the UK do.
Air Medical Transport Sector of China Must Look Forward
Although the situation might seem grim, improvements can come quickly in a country like China where decision-making rests with a few hands, and these hands now seem to be working at better air medical transport services. The current air medical transport vehicle is a twin-engine Airbus chopper. It has been custom designed with sliding doors and sports ‘state of the art’ equipment. The chopper does not require a helipad for landing and is highly maneuverable. The air medical transport vehicle has been ordered by Beijing 999 Emergency Rescue Centre, which is a subsidiary of Beijing Red Cross Foundation. The international air ambulance sector is hoping that this is just the first of the many more air medical transport vehicles that will enter Beijing and the rest of China in the days to come.
