Located at Kimberley Aiport, the Flying Doctor and Health Outreach Service has been run in conjunction with the Northern Cape Department of Health since 1996.
The AMS provides two Pilatus PC-12 fixed wing aircraft for flying doctor and health outreach services, pre- and inter-hospital transfer of patients and emergency medical services.
The programme has made tremendous inroads in reducing cataract blindness, offering chemotherapy at local sites, completely eliminating the orthopaedic waiting list and generally bringing assistance, help and relief to some 20 000 people a year.
Since 1996, the service has performed 1 677 cataract operations and has been recognized by the national Department of Health for achieving the best cataract surgery rate of all the provinces in 2003/4.
The service has brought healthcare to more than 150 000 patients, has dispensed 24 400 spectacles, performed 59 911 tooth extractions and held 14 366 orthopaedic, 12 378 pyschiatric and 10 918 surgical consultations over the past ten years.
In 1999, the service was awarded the Impumelelo Innovations Award, which 'recognizes innovations in government and public-private partnerships that reduce poverty and address key developmental issues of national concern'.
The service flies paediatricians, physicians, orthopaedic surgeons, surgeons, anaesthetists, oncologists, a maxillo-facial surgeon and psychiatrists on a regular basis to Calvinia, Springbok, Upington, De Aar, Kuruman and Jan Kempdorp. Ophthalmology services are held in Barkly-west, De Aar, Upington, Calvinia, Prieska and Postmasburg.
Last year, the service grew to include elective patient transfers to Kimberley Hospital Complex for patients from the Namaqua District. A dedicated air ambulance service is on stand-by for medical emergencies across the Province.
The AMS recently moved into their own hangar at Kimberley Airport, which was partially funded by the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund and ExecuJet SA.
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