International Maritime assistance, Ambulance,  Event Medical Cover, Drug and Alcohol Testing, International Medical Assistance, Emergency Evacuation, Pre Employment Medical Testing.

A recent case involved a patient with pancreatitis in Mauritius. Having been under expert care we were contacted by the Mutual insurers to arrange for the repatriation of this crew member.

 

Although, to all intents and purposes, the patient looked quite well, the condition is a very painful affliction and does carry with it the risk of a rapid bleed which could result in death. Other than requesting a wheelchair for the patient, everything appeared straightforward. We checked with the airline concerned and they confirmed that no medical clearance was required.

 

One of our doctors was duly dispatched to Mauritius to collect the patient. On his arrival he met with the patient and doctor and everything appeared to be following the proper course. The doctor duly checked with the local airline office only to be told that patient would not be permitted to fly without a medical clearance.

 

After many calls and much negotiating with the airline, we finally were forced to make the decision to cancel the flights and use a different airline. Not quite as simple as it would seem with limited connections out of Mauritius with reasonable flight times to Europe.  And difficult to do in a short space of time. One flight was missed because, as we discovered, local traffic would prevent an ambulance travelling a distance of some 35 km in under three hours!

 

After some very quick planning and interventions by the travel team an alternative booking was found and the crew man was returned to his home in Kiev for further treatment without incident.

Commercial air travel is a very cost effective solution in many cases—but it does come with certain difficulties.

A case of Acute Pancreatitis in Mauritius.. And vagaries of the airlines!

Date: November 2008