German national repatriated to Germany
In February an AIMS patient needed to be medically repatriated back to Germany. In December the patient had experienced a cerebrovascular accident (CVA), and a medical team was then organized to assist in taking the patient back to his home country.
The medical and non-medical escort departed from Cape Town International Airport for King Shaka International Airport, Durban. Upon arrival they drove to the patient location to collect the patient and do the necessary checks to prepare the patient for the flight to Johannesburg and then on to Germany.
On arrival at King Shaka International Airport the patient said his final goodbyes to his son. The medical escort, non-medical escort and patient then flew to Johannesburg.
On arrival into Johannesburg, the patient was assisted from his seat to the wheelchair and disembarked the aircraft with the use of a high lift. The patient and his medical team were then transported to the terminal building and taken to the airport clinic at OR Tambo International Airport.
Before flying to Germany, the patient had his final assessment and was ready to board the plane.
The patient was then transferred onto a stretcher and loaded into an ambulance to be transported air side. He was assisted to his seat on the aircraft with the use of a high lift and wheel chair, and was lifted from the wheelchair into his business class seat. Shortly after take-off, his seat was reclined and pillows were used to provide as much comfort and support as possible. When the patient heard the German air hostess talk he showed a slight smile and was ready for the long flight to Frankfurt, Germany.
The Medical escort and none-medical escort did everything in their power inflight to make sure that the patient had a comfortable and successful medical repatriation back to his home country.
The patient and his medical team landed safely in Frankfurt, Germany where they escorted the patient to passport control where they then had to say their final goodbyes. The look in the patient’s eyes showed he was very happy to be home and that the flight was a success. The patient was handed over to the German assist team at the airport and once he went through passport control a medical team transported him safely to a rehabilitation centre in the north of Germany.
Due to the Covid-19 protocols still in place at the time, South Africa was on Germany’s “red list”, so the medical escort and non-medical escort were unable to leave the airport. The medical team were then placed in the airport hotel for the day before they caught their plane back to South Africa later that evening.
The patient is still in a rehabilitation centre in Germany and is doing well.
