Aviation and the delivery of medical care in remote regions: the Lesotho HIV experience.
In many regions of the world plagued by high burdens of disease, there is difficulty in accessing basic medical care. This is often due to logistical constraints and a lack of infrastructure such as roads. Medical aviation can play a major role in addressing some of these crucial issues as it allows for the rapid transport of patients, personnel, and medications to remote-and sometimes otherwise inaccessible-areas. Lesotho is a mountainous nation of 2 million people that provides a good example of medical aviation as a cornerstone in the delivery of health care. The population has a reported HIV seroprevalence of 25%, and many patients live in rural areas that are inaccessible by road. Mission Aviation Fellowship has joined forces with a medical team from the nongovernmental organization Partners In Health in an effort to launch a comprehensive program to address HIV and related problems in rural Lesotho. This medical aviation partnership has allowed for the provision of HIV prevention and treatment services to thousands of people living in the mountains. This commentary describes how medical aviation has been crucial in developing models to address complex, serious health problems in remote settings.
Furin
Jennifer
J
Partners In Health, Lesotho, Africa. jfurin@partners.org
Shutts
Mike
M
Keshavjee
Salmaan
S
D017732:Air Ambulances; D001359:Aviation; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006282:Health Personnel; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007927:Lesotho; D012424:Rural Population; D014187:Transportation of Patients; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000517:prevention & control*