Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve, Sunday News Reporter
ZIMBABWE’s national air ambulance service, Helidrive, has airlifted more than 1 462 emergency cases since August 2024, with its newly operational Victoria Falls base now positioned to deliver world-class aeromedical support to tourists, athletes, officials, and local communities across the resort town and surrounding regions.
The Victoria Falls base, already fully operational, marks a strategic milestone in the country’s emergency medical preparedness.
According to statistics released by Helidrive Zimbabwe chief medical doctor, Dr Freddy Mhondiwa, the Harare base handled the bulk of cases with 944 airlifts, followed by Bulawayo with 504, while the newly opened Victoria Falls base has already attended to 14 cases in its initial phase.
Dr Mhondiwa said the breakdown of cases nationally includes 479 adults aged 13 to over 100 years, 299 children between 0 and 12 years, and 166 infants under one year.
In Bulawayo, adults accounted for 231 cases, children 168, and infants 105.
“As Helidrive Zimbabwe National Air Ambulance Service, we are proud to mark the opening of our new operational base in Victoria Falls, a strategic development that significantly strengthens emergency medical response capacity in the region,” he said.
“This new base positions us to deliver timely, high-quality aeromedical services to both tourists visiting one of Africa’s premier destinations and the surrounding local communities who require urgent access to advanced medical care,” said Dr Mhondiwa.
The development comes at a critical time for Victoria Falls, which is increasingly hosting key regional and international conferences under the MICE tourism model.
With the upcoming Cricket World Cup set to be hosted in the resort city, medical evacuations, trauma care, and critical care transfers are expected to be on higher demand.
“Our teams are fully prepared and operational, with robust emergency response systems in place to manage medical evacuations, trauma care, and critical care transfers across the region,” said Dr Mhondiwa.
“Importantly, this expansion also enhances our readiness for the upcoming international Cricket World Cup events to be hosted in Victoria Falls.
“We are working to ensure world-class medical preparedness, rapid response capability, and seamless co-ordination with local health and emergency stakeholders to support athletes, officials, visitors, and residents alike,” Dr Mhondiwa said.
The significance of high-quality aeromedical services cannot be overstated for a destination like Victoria Falls, which attracts hundreds of thousands of international tourists annually.
For visitors engaging in adventure sports such as bungee jumping, white-water rafting, and helicopter flights over the Falls, rapid access to advanced trauma care can mean the difference between life and death. Local communities, too, stand to benefit immensely.
Previously, residents requiring urgent specialist care often faced lengthy road transfers to Bulawayo or Harare.
The new base dramatically cuts response times and ensures that critically ill patients, including infants and children, receive timely evacuation.
Tourism stakeholders have welcomed the move, describing it as a game-changer for destination confidence.
With international events like the Cricket World Cup drawing teams and fans from across the globe, the presence of a dedicated, fully equipped air ambulance service with round-the-clock rapid response capability sends a message that Zimbabwe takes visitor safety seriously.
As Victoria Falls cements its status as a premier MICE and sports tourism hub, Helidrive’s expanded national footprint ensures that world-class emergency care is never more than a flight away.
Bongani Ndlovu