Key workers in healthcare say flying with MAF helps them avoid long, painful road journeys, allowing them to be more effective in isolated communities.
“The population of my locality faces enormous difficulties in getting around due to the distance, insecurity and poor road conditions to obtain better care in Conakry.”
That’s how Jérémie Guilavogui, a biologist and laboratory technician at Hope Clinic Nzao, explained the time-consuming and risky alternative to flying with MAF in Guinea.
He flew back to Nzérékoré with MAF after receiving medical care in Conakry, the Guinean capital, and insisted a road journey would have been painful.
"Oh no, that would be terrible and increase my suffering. Because it will take time, and I have been told to avoid shocks or even to support weights of a few pounds,” Jeremie said.
“And if I'm sitting down, if I'm doing some effort on my spine, it's going to increase my suffering as well.
"It was better for me to take the flight because I can't take the taxi.
“Otherwise, if I was on the road for a long time, it's not good for my health with this lower back condition. So, it was good and the time wasn't very long, only two hours of flight and a few minutes.”
Hans-Jürg Bopp, a retired doctor from Switzerland, flew with MAF from Conakry for the ultrasound training of doctors at the Macenta Specialist Medical Center in the south of Guinea.
“And this time, I'm bringing in a new ultrasound machine and for a week I'm going to show them the quality of the machine so they can get used to this new machine,” he said.
“It used to be a very tiring journey because you were on the road. It's been two days on the road, in bad condition. And it wasn't an advantage since my time in the hospital was quite short, so I was wasting time for the trip, which was a shame.
Everything was very professional. Everything was very friendly.
“Yes, so for sure it's a huge advantage to be able to go back to Conakry. On a plane that brings us quietly. We can relax, and then in a short time, we arrive at our destination.
“I thought it was fantastic. It was with a professional pilot. Everything was very professional. Everything was very friendly.”
Claude Loiret, who works with Mission Philafricaine, is a former technician at Air France and was also pastor of a Protestant assembly for thirty years.
He flew with MAF on his second visit to Guinea for reasons so he could train doctors at Macenta, and he was relieved he did not have to travel by road.
“So, my retreat time is being used to serve the Lord here with my brothers and sisters in Guinea,” he said.
“When I came here to Macenta, the journey is tiring. Two days to go, two days to come. You shouldn't drive at night because there are bandits. Then the roads were badly maintained, well rutted. So, for sure at our age, the body, it takes it.
“Whereas on the plane, here, in this 1 hour 30-minute flight, everything was fine. And then you see Guinea, Sierra Leone seen looking back. And everything was fine. ”
“Very grateful, because I've read what MAF was doing, I find it admirable and truly that the Lord is glorified through this ministry, and we are with you wholeheartedly.”
Story by : Joel Conte