Scenic has recently gotten fully registered for AMREF Flying Doctors because we never know when our visitors would get into an accident, especially falling. This could be during mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes, Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks, or mountaineering on the Rwenzori Mountains, Mount Elgon, or the Virunga Volcanoes, during forest walks/hiking.
The sad reality is that even the majority of the National Parks and other remarkable safari destinations in Uganda and Rwanda are found in remote places with limited access to good medical/health care centers. This necessitates the idea of flying doctors, a reliable Air Ambulance service that intervenes in serious medical emergencies during safaris.
Some of AMREF Flying Doctors on a simulation session in Kenya.
The good news is that Scenic Luxury Vacation is a fully registered and compliant member of the Flying Doctors Society, so all our guests are entitled to swift evacuation as well as First aid in an event of an accident. The AMREF Flying Doctors are qualified, experienced, and part of the African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF), and the control center is stationed at Nairobi Wilson Airport.
In case of life-threatening/serious emergencies while on your safari to remote/upcountry safari destinations within the East African region or during your business trip, travelers are provided fast and free unlimited air ambulance evacuation to a hospital of your choice (in East Africa) within the company’s duration of the membership. For this evacuation, the victim/patient involved in the accident is allowed to have a caregiver or care assistant during the evacuation.
Services of AMREF Flying Doctors stop at evacuation and first aid, and treatment or surgeries have to be catered for by the traveler’s medical insurance.
Why Scenic Luxury Vacation Registered for AMREF Flying Doctors
Accidents and severe sicknesses during safaris are rare but inevitable, but the most frustrating thing is having to wait for hours or even days for the Insurance Company to assess the circumstances before being assisted.
Also, the majority of the safari destinations in East Africa are remote and even if they aren’t, travelers are not familiar with the medical facilities and environment therefore it would be risky waiting for overseas insurance providers to take swift decisions. Therefore, visitors are guaranteed of accessing Medevac medical assistance any day, anytime regardless of the remoteness of the location. This will involve free evacuation of the patient and one caregiver by an air ambulance, transportation from the airstrip to the hospital of choice in the East African region as well first aid.
On receiving a call for assistance, AMREF Flying Doctors will need 2-3 hours to prepare paperwork to work on the emergency, and on getting there will provide first aid and direction on the closest medical center depending on the severity of the case. However, Aga Khan and Nairobi Hospitals are usually the preferred choice in Nairobi and the good thing is that they are reputable facilities. Do you know the most interesting thing about flying doctors’ services? There is no age limit and patients have 24-hour access to the Flying Doctors Emergency Center for medical advice.
AMREF Flying Doctors boast a fleet of 5 aircraft that include Citation XLS C560 with a speed of 420 knots and a capacity of 2 stretchers and 1 sitting, Citation Bravo C550 with a speed of 350 knots and a capacity of 2 stretchers and 1 sitting, Pilatus PC12 with a speed of 240 knots and capacity of 2 stretchers and 1 sitting, Citation Sovereign C680 with a speed of 425 knots and a capacity of 2 stretchers and 3 sitting, Eurocopter AS350 with a speed of 100 knots and a capacity of 1 stretcher only.