OVER 140 AIR AMBULANCES FLEW IN AND OUT OF DELHI, MUMBAI DURING SECOND WAVE

are designed and made in Germany. Delhi Airport authorities say that as per the current protocol, only certified doctors, paramedic staff and nurses, who are able to handle critical care during flight, are allowed to board such flights.

Delhi airport officials told this correspondent that most of these flights are activated on a very short notice, ranging from just two to three hours and, therefore, at times it becomes challenging to coordinate with all the stakeholders. But the official added that the Delhi airport had brought in special provisions to expedite these clearances, which included arranging approval for such flights, staff etc.

Delhi currently has around 12 air ambulances, operated by Medevac Operations which is specialised in handing medical evacuation flights.

For the Mumbai airport, officials from the GVK group, speaking to The Sunday Guardian, said that since Mumbai and Maharashtra were reeling under an extraordinary situation, operations at the Mumbai airport were limited; even then, the airport handled over 44 air ambulance flights during the second wave of the pandemic.

A spokesperson from Mumbai airport told The Sunday Guardian that the Mumbai airport had drafted a protocol for handling air ambulance requests wherein as soon as a request is received, all stakeholders are intimated for smooth clearance of the flight and hasslefree journey of the patient from in and out of Mumbai.