Emergency air ambulance evacuation
Behind the scenes of one of the most expensive medical evacuations we’ve assisted with to date
A company-sponsored health insurance plan is a major benefit that can provide tremendous peace of mind, particularly to expat families living and working away from home. Never in their wildest dreams, however, did Family A think that their Bupa Global Mining and Energy Forum Health Insurance Plan would end up saving their newborn baby’s life.
Baby A was born prematurely at a hospital in Lubumbashi, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in January of this year. At a gestational age of 30 weeks, she weighed a mere 900g at birth. She was diagnosed with complicated Jaundice and life-threatening Thrombocytopenia. When the hospital informed her parents that they did not have adequate neonatal facilities to continue providing the specialised care that she needed to survive, Bupa Global (their insurer) and our Unisure Assist team (Bupa Global’s assistance team in Africa) were called in to arrange an urgent medical air ambulance evacuation to the nearest centre of medical excellence.
In spite of the urgency of Baby A’s serious condition, our Unisure Assist Operations Director, Cristina Meixieira, encountered numerous stumbling blocks that delayed the evacuation.
Firstly, our teams weren’t notified of baby A’s birth, which meant that she was not yet enrolled on her parents’ group health insurance policy. Babies are covered on their mother’s maternity benefit for the first seven days after their birth, but thereafter they need to be individually enrolled. This is vital step for all insured parents to remember, to ensure that at the time of a medical emergency arising, their babies are already enrolled. Ideally, this needs to be done as soon as possible after the birth.
Baby A also didn’t have a passport at the time, only a birth certificate, which caused huge complications for our teams when dealing with the DRC aviation authorities to gain permission for her to leave the country.
On top of that, while Baby A was being enrolled, Cristina was urgently chasing the medical team in the DRC for a comprehensive medical report to send to Bupa Global detailing why the facility was unable to care for the patient and motivating the evacuation request. This report is the first step required for Bupa Global to open an evacuation case.
“I struggled immensely to get the report from the hospital,” Cristina explains. “This was a very emotional and difficult time, as both parents were understandably distraught and feared for their fragile daughter’s life. Mom and dad took turns watching over baby, and every time one of them went home to rest, I would get worried phonecalls. Our team made it our mission to personally chase for updates and do everything humanly possible to provide Baby A’s parents with as much information as possible.”
Once the report was obtained by the baby’s father, our Unisure Assist team’s role amplified even further, coordinating teams and information on the ground, taking care of both the family and their company (our client), assisting with the aviation company and aviation authorities, and ensuring that Baby A and her parents arrived safely in Johannesburg, South Africa.
“This was one of the most expensive Bupa Global evacuations we’ve assisted with to date, particularly because it needed a full neo-natal ICU on board the aircraft,” Cristina explains. “That, coupled with the fact that there were numerous administrative delays, all of which were nightmarishly stressful for Baby A’s parents, make this an emergency evacuation that our team will never forget.”
Unisure Assist’s extensive African footprint, fortified service provider network, and years of experience played a vital role in this evacuation, as did our ethos of always delivering healthcare with a human touch.
Beyond providing 24/7 medical administrative and operational support, clients have come to love and trust our Unisure Assist team for the fact that we always think about the small details that go a long way to ensuring our members’ comfort when they arrive in a foreign city.”
“Assisting Baby A’s parents with having SIM cards available when they land, booking their accommodation in advance, and helping Baby A’s parents with the information required for her passport application (which she will need for her trip back home to Lubumbashi) are just some of the ways in which our team went above and beyond to make Family A as comfortable as possible during such a difficult time,” Cristina explains.
Despite the serious challenges surrounding Baby A’s birth and evacuation, we’re happy to report that she is making remarkable daily improvements. She is breathing on her own and is off all her medication. Her eye and hearing tests went well, and there is no permanent damage. All that remains now is for her to grow a little bit bigger and stronger. Once she weighs 2kgs, she can go home with mom and dad and the three of them can begin their happy new life together.
“It has been an awe-inspiring case for us,” Cristina concludes. “The fact that Baby A is doing so well is a huge reward for us. During the evacuation, we feared for her life as she was so tiny and fragile. She is a precious, miracle baby that will forever live in our hearts. We are also very grateful to all of the companies that offer their staff members life-saving group health insurance benefits such as these.”
Sources:
- Interview with Unisure Assist’s Operations Director, Cristina Meixieira, 6 February 2023