In the hyper connected world of today, dangerous infectious diseases can often spread globally through air travel. Nations with medical personnel working in the dangerous infectious disease hot zones have the responsibility and obligation to provide medical evacuation for their citizens if they unfortunately become infected. Cross border trade compounds the risk of infected air travellers spreading the disease. Once striken, the patients will need to be transferred to the designated dangerous infectious disease care facility and the distances involved meant that the only viable transportation option is an air ambulance. To protect the aeromedical personnel, the patient will need to be isolated during the transfer.
GVH Aerospace rose to the challenge when the medical providers presented the problem of transporting Ebola patients in air ambulances. The medical providers had purchased isolation containment units and had deemed the restrain provisions to be insufficient for air transfer use. The off-the-shelf isolation containment unit was originally designed for the military to transfer patients contaminated by CBRN agents. The containment unit was modified to fit within the confines of air ambulances and retained compatibility with road ambulances. A restraining harness was added to the containment unit and it is secured to an airborne qualified stretcher. This securely restraints the patient and the isolation containment unit to the stretcher for air transfer. The modified isolation containment unit maintained the negative air pressure integrity and every modified unit was tested to ensure the the fluids cannot leak out. These modified isolation containment units are now in service with medical service providers. This has resulted in:
- Rapid response to dangerous infectious disease breakout
- Safe and secure way of transporting patients in air ambulances
- Safe work environment for aeromedical personnel and aircrew
