MAF pilot shares what it means to fly patients from isolated communities for specialist care.
Farm worker Beatrice Bardio was flown by MAF to Liberia’s capital Monrovia for treatment after being hit in the eye by a piece of rock.
The 40-year-old mum was a patient with Partners in Health at JJ Dossen Hospital in Harper, a remote community in the nation’s southeast, but the eye injury was so severe that she needed to travel to receive further treatment.
Travel by road during the rainy season would have meant an uncomfortable journey of up to four days, but MAF pilot Hansjoerg Schlatter was able to complete the journey in around 90 minutes.
The experienced pilot, serving in a short spell with MAF’s Liberia programme, said helping the woman access medical care was one of the highlights of his work in the country.
"It was great to be able to provide that flight as I don’t know how she would have been able to make that journey in the rainy season," he said. “I really appreciated getting to know some of the passengers we fly.
“Passengers are generally very thankful for the service we provide, but I always tell them (Partners in Health) that without their work there would be no need for our service. So, it is really a team effort, where everyone plays an important role.”
Beatrice flew to Monrovia on a MAF flight, with her damaged eye protected by a dressing. Sadly, she was expected to lose the eye following further assessment of the injury.
I don’t know how she would have been able to make that journey in the rainy season.
Hansjoerg, who began flying in 1998, has been a MAF pilot for the past 22 years where he has served in Tanzania, Uganda, DR Congo, South Sudan, Chad, US, Liberia, Guinea and on ferry flights that have delivered MAF aircraft across continents.
He reflected on the importance of linking people in isolated communities with access to healthcare.
“MAF's intervention not only ensures timely access to medical facilities but also fosters a sense of hope and solidarity within these isolated communities,” he added.
