The Zambia Flying Doctor Service (ZFDS) has today successfully evacuated two patients with spinal injuries to Lusaka for specialised medical care, reaffirming its commitment to providing timely aeromedical services to patients across the country.

The first mission involved the evacuation of a 22-year-old male patient with a suspected C4–C5 spinal injury sustained after falling from a tree. The patient was airlifted from Kasama to Lusaka by pilots Elvis Kite and Chanda Mumpangwe, with medical support provided by Paramedics Susan Banda and Mwiza Siloka.

In a separate mission, a 48-year-old male patient with a spinal injury was evacuated from Chililabombwe to Lusaka for specialised medical assessment following a referral through the Workers’ Compensation.

The Chililabombwe -Ndola leg of the mission in the Bell 212 9J-KDK was operated by Chief Pilot Zachariah Mbewe and Timothy Gibbs, while the Ndola - Lusaka leg was flown by Director Aviation Services Lasford Manchisi and Deputy Director Aviation Patrick Kawanu. Medical support throughout the evacuation was provided by Paramedic Prince Mwewa.

These successful evacuations underscore the ZFDS vital role in bridging geographical barriers to healthcare by ensuring patients requiring specialised treatment are transported safely and efficiently to appropriate referral facilities.