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WearCheck Aircraft Kits donated to AMS

The SA Red Cross Air Mercy Service (AMS) is pleased to welcome WearCheck, Conditioning Monitoring Specialists, as a supporter of the non-profit aero-medical rescue organisation. WearCheck donated 20 G2 Aircraft Kits to AMS in continued support with conditioning and monitoring the AMS fleet of aircraft to ensure safety and serviceability remain a high priority.

“We are grateful for the donation of G2 Aircraft Kits as it will allow our in-house Aircraft Maintenance Organisation (AMO) to continue maintaining the AMS aircraft in meeting the Manufactures and Civil Aviation Authority requirements, thus ensuring that we provide a safe and efficient aero-medical service to all those in need.” said Dr. Philip Erasmus, AMS CEO. The AMS is a non-profit aero-medical rescue organisation - based in the Western Cape (Cape Town & Oudtshoorn), KwaZulu-Natal (Durban) and the Eastern Cape (East London, Gqeberha - formerly known as Port Elizabeth and Mthatha) working in partnership with the various Provincial Departments of Health in South Africa to ensure that the National Health System is strengthened through the provision of rescue, air ambulance and rural health outreach services. The AMS is the only operator in Southern Africa that offers a complete package of air-ambulance, health outreach and rescue service; reaching peripheral remote communities who previously had little or no access to healthcare services.

“We at WearCheck are in awe of how many lives the AMS teams have saved, and how many people are assisted by this wonderful service every single day.  To help the AMS reach even more communities, WearCheck has sponsored the condition monitoring of the 11 aircraft operated by the AMS with WearCheck aircraft kits.” Technical Manager for WearCheck, Steven Lumley, is delighted to help the AMS. “This gesture is in thanks for the incredible work you all do and the countless lives you save. We want to keep you airborne. We will supply aircraft test kits on an ongoing basis for the three planes and eight helicopters operated by the AMS.”

“The continued support from organisations such as WearCheck will ensure that we continue to focus on the task at hand to provide quality, innovative and rapid aero-medical emergency rescue service to all communities in need. Ensuring that our aircraft are safe, serviceable and flying is a crucial cornerstone to continue to save lives by providing access to healthcare services within our country.” Dr. Erasmus concluded.

The purpose of the AMS is to facilitate pluriversal access to healthcare to those rendered most vulnerable by geographical, social or economic inequity and in so doing, reduce vulnerability of at-risk communities and judiciously improving the quality of life.

Moral Regeneration Movement Chairman visits AMS

Today (12 March 2021) Father Smangaliso Mkhatshwa and Neo Chaka from the Moral Regeneration Movement paid a visit to our Cape Town operation to discuss how two civil society organisations can work together to better serve our nation.

Gift of the Givers Founder hands over Personal Protective Equipment to AMS

“We are grateful for the donation of personal protective equipment (PPE) towards our operation in ensuring that access to healthcare reaches all those in need and in so doing improve the quality of life of all communities. It is through partnerships

such as these that we are able to continue to serve humanity and build a national health asset for our country.” said Farhaad Haffejee, Corporate Development Manager.

“Gift of the Givers appreciates the sterling, lifesaving, timeous intervention Air Mercy Service renders to those in need of critical care especially from disadvantaged backgrounds. Supporting these frontline healthcare workers with PPE's is but a minimal acknowledgement of their selflessness” said Dr. Imtiaz Sooliman, Founder of Gift of the Givers.

Gift of the Givers donates lifesaving medical equipment to AMS

Gift of the Givers Foundation donated CSIR Lung Inspiratory Flow Enabler (L.I.F.E.) devices to the SA Red Cross Air Mercy Service (AMS). These lifesaving medical devices are able to support patients in respiratory distress and add to the patient life support options currently available on the AMS rotor and fixed wing air ambulance platforms. The devices are used to generate Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) to support the airways of spontaneously breathing patients, throughout the breathing cycle.

The AMS has started with evaluation for optimal use and commenced flight paramedic training on the device. “The AMS is grateful to Brimstone Investment Corporation Limited for facilitating the donation to our organisation to ensure that our patients receive the necessary care required to transport them to definitive care,” said Dr. Philip Erasmus AMS CEO. Both the AMS and Gift of the Givers are beneficiaries of Brimstone Empowerment Share Trust (BEST) which aims to create a more sustainable model of support to organisations by awarding them with Brimstone shares

“These CPAP machines, a product of South African technology, have captured the imagination of doctors, nurses, paramedics and ambulance personnel nationwide. Simple to use, not requiring electricity they can deliver oxygen at low flow or intermediate flow and the positive pressure quite often achieves adequate saturation at low flow thereby conserving oxygen. The overriding comment we receiving is this machine is saving lives," Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, Chairman and Founder of Gift of the Givers.

“It is only through partnerships such as these that we are able to make a difference in the quality of life of our citizens. Thank you for your support and commitment to assist our organisation facilitate access to healthcare to those rendered most vulnerable.” concluded Dr. Philip Erasmus.

About Gift of the Givers

The Gift of the Givers Foundation is the largest disaster response, non-governmental organisation of African origin on the African continent. It works to unite people, with a common vision, to make a real and telling difference by serving mankind for the ‘Greater Good’.

Assistance is provided unconditionally; assisting the needy, irrespective of human or animal, race, religion, colour, class, political affiliation of geographic location. Since its inception in 1992, the organisation has been responsible for the delivery of life-saving goods and on-the-ground support for innumerable people, collectively valued at some R3.2 billion, in more than 43 countries across the globe, including South Africa. Gift of the Givers restores the hope and dignity of the most vulnerable in their time of need, rebuilding prosperous communities and empowering leaders of tomorrow.