Foreign currency needed

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Non-availability of foreign currency in PNG is having adverse effects on the operations of helicopter business, according to Manolos Aviation Ltd.
Chief executive officer Jurgen Ruh said on Friday in Namatanai, New Ireland, in the presence of Prime Minister James Marape, Health Minister Jelta Wong, Lands and Physical Planning Minister John Rosso, Namatanai MP Walter Schnaubelt and Goilala MP William Samb.
Before flying the delegates to Tokua Airport in East New Britain, Ruh said: “To buy a helicopter and operate one, dedicated for medical evacuation services, is a very easy part.”
“To fly to a remote area to pick up a mother and bring her to hospital is also fairly easy, the only problem is the weather, which we have to be patient with.
“The biggest challenge we have today is actually the foreign currency,” Ruh said highlighting challenges facing the medical evacuation programme done by the company.
“I cannot save a mother from a village if my helicopter is not in service because of spare parts, there are no alternatives.”
Ruh said the helicopters can be in service for probably two weeks, however, they are in service for eight months because the company has not been able to get spare parts needed due to the unavailability of foreign currency.
“I hope that there can be something good in place by the Central Bank to allocate foreign currency for us to purchase so we can keep our helicopters going for medevac operations.”
Prime Minister Marape, after acknowledging Ruh and Manolos Aviation for the medical evacuation services in PNG, said the government noted the foreign currency issue.
“We have also allocated some funds in next year’s budget to ensure remote area freighting, medevac or cargo freighting are given subsidy,” he said.
“Those who are already at play in service to the country like Manolos or YWAM who have been engaged with us, to partner them and continue the services.”
Ruh said Manolos Aviation had been conducting medical evacuation services across PNG since 2009, and had partnered the Morobe government and districts such as Namatanai and Obura-Wonenara for the evacuation of mothers suffering child birth complications.
Though the company has two bases in Lae and Kokopo, he said medical evacuations can still be launched to anywhere in PNG whenever there is a call for help, and if there is fair weather.