Medevac service reaches remote areas to rescue Morobeans

MEDEVAC operations in Morobe have been effective and will continue to receive support next year to help people, especially in remote parts of the province, an official says.
Morobe’s programme adviser for health Micah Yawing said the operation was part of the provincial programme, with an annual budget of K3 million.
“Medevac has saved many lives in the province since the establishment of this partnership in 2014.
“Though the health division usually pays invoices late, the company still prioritises saving lives of Morobeans, and they have done a great job,” Yawing said.
“The provincial government puts K2 million for the Mama programme and K1 million for general medevac.
“The partnership with Manolos Aviation Ltd is truly a blessing for many people in the remote areas and there are many people who have survived today from that partnership.”
Manolos Aviation has been providing medevac services through a joint provincial government project aimed at evacuating women in need of urgent medical attention due to pregnancy complications.
Yawing is also happy that the company trading as Niugini Heliworks is establishing a helicopter pilot school in Rabaul and Lae.
“We need Papua New Guineans to save the lives of our own people. All those years, the company’s chief executive and his team of pilots from overseas have been doing this job.”
Chief executive Jürgen Ruh said the aim of the helicopter pilot training programme, which was established in October, was to have nationals fly in the country.
“There is a great need in training young national pilots because we don’t have young pilots entering the industry for helicopters,” he said.
“The training programmes for the private pilot licence and commercial pilot licence will be conducted in Kokopo, and will also begin in Lae soon.”
Nawaeb MP Kennedy Wenge praised the company for its operations in Morobe at the Malahang Technical High School last month.
“There are some places we can reach only because of a helicopter. We need Morobeans to become pilots, not to make money but to save the lives of our people.”