Villingilli patient transportation delayed due to technical issue with flight: Aasandha

Aasandha has stated that the 13-year-old boy in Gaafu Alifu atoll, Villingili, who was critically ill, faced a delay in transportation to Malé City due to a last-minute technical issue with the flight, despite receiving Aasandha approval within 12 minutes.

In a statement last night, Aasandha said that an emergency evacuation was initiated at 0500 hrs on Thursday. The request was processed within 12 minutes, and the hospital requested a seat on the flight.

The earliest available flight was scheduled for 0555 hrs the next day from Kooddoo Airport in Gaafu Alifu atoll. Aasandha said that they initiated to charter a flight on the same day to expedite the transportation of the boy to Malé as soon as possible.

Accoding to Aasandha, Maldivian said that the flight would land at 1255 hrs in Kooddoo and was expected to reach Malé by 1620 hrs.

Therefore, after organizing a sea ambulance to transport the patient from Villingili to the airport at 1245 hrs, it was planned that a scheduled flight to Kadhdhoo Airport would be redirected to Kooddoo, allowing the patient to be flown to Malé at 1350 hrs from Kooddoo Airport, according to Aasandha's statement. However, due to a last-minute technical error, the plane could not be diverted, according to Aasandha.

Therefore, after organizing a sea ambulance to transfer the patient from Villingili to the airport at 1245 hrs, a scheduled flight to Kadhdhoo Airport would be diverted to Kooddoo, allowing the patient to be transported to Malé at 1350, Kooddoo Airport reported. However, Aasandha said that due to a last-minute technical error, the plane could not be diverted.

"As a result, another chartered flight was arranged and the patient was brought from Kooddoo Airport to Velana International Airport on January 18, 2024 at 1715 hrs", Aasandha said.

The 13-year-old boy passed away in the ICU of Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) while undergoing treatment around 1100 hrs yesterday.

The government has changed the policy of the national airline, Maldivian, to give priority to flights carrying patients over scheduled flights in emergency medical situations.

Transport Minister Mohamed Ameen told Mihaaru News that the policy in effect for the past ten years takes a long time for the transportation of patients.

Minister Ameen said that, under the existing policy, patients are transported in emergencies situations after the hospital both notifies Maldivian, and receives approval from Aasandha. The patient is then transported on a Maldivian scheduled flight when it becomes available. However, under the new policy, which took effect yesterday, once the hospital notifies Maldivian, they would initiate immediate patient transportation, without waiting for Aasandha approval.

Minister Ameen said that patients will now be prioritized over scheduled flights, effective immediately from today. This change, directly mandated by the President, aims to eliminate delays and enhance service delivery to the public.

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