Online Reporter
Trust Freddy, Zimpapers writer
THE Government-sponsored air ambulance service has surpassed 1 170 civil emergency responses since its launch in August 2024, signalling a transformation in the country’s emergency medical infrastructure.
This follows the introduction of a fleet of six helicopters in a deal initiated by President Mnangagwa to ensure everyone accesses top class medical care.
The service, a partnership between the Government of Zimbabwe and Russia’s HeliDrive Air Medical Services, was established to bridge the gap in specialised care for remote communities and victims of road traffic accidents.
In an interview yesterday, Dr Freddy Mhondiwa, Medical Director for HeliDrive Zimbabwe, detailed the service’s rapid expansion.
“Since September 2024, the national air ambulance service has achieved a significant milestone by completing a total of 1 171 flight cases across Zimbabwe as of January 14, 2026,” he said.
“This rapid expansion is highlighted by a high volume of emergency responses managed through our key hubs, with 772 cases handled in Harare and 399 cases in Bulawayo.
“These figures demonstrate our growing capacity to provide critical, life-saving interventions and underscore our commitment to ensuring that high-quality emergency medical care is accessible to citizens in more parts of the country than ever before.”
Hospitals in Musami, Madziva, Makunde, Sadza, Rusape, West Nicholson, Victoria Falls, Gwanda and Mt Darwin have now benefitted from the service, strengthening the country’s emergency response system.
The service has already airlifted numerous patients, including children, and provides intensive care-level treatment, overcoming geographical barriers to reach those in need.
The service is staffed by Russian and Zimbabwean doctors, nurses and emergency responders, offering round-the-clock critical care as part of the Government’s commitment to universal health coverage.
The team recently performed an extraordinary mid-air delivery, bringing a healthy baby boy into the world from a 13-year-old mother.
The critical airborne birth occurred as the young patient was being airlifted from Maphisa Hospital to the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH), transforming a routine medical transfer into a race against time.
An eight-year-old girl from Masvingo was also successfully evacuated to Sally Mugabe Central Hospital following a tragic fire incident that left her with severe burns covering 80 percent of her body last week.
The service also airlifted a 50-year-old man from West Nicholson to UBH after he was involved in a motorcycle accident.
