Since 2001, Remote Area Medical (RAM) has provided a free air ambulance to thousands of Amerindian villagers in remote Guyana. In this isolated region, RAM's air ambulance is often a person's only access to medical care, making the difference between life and death. RAM flies its Cessna 206 into 28 different airfields to transport villagers to facilities for vital care. In 2018, RAM's air ambulance provided emergency transport to 159 children & 871 adults, equating to $821,230 worth of care.
Amerindian villagers in Guyana face major obstacles in obtaining health care services. First, Amerindians are the poorest ethnic group in the entire country with more than 85% falling below the poverty line. Second, there are no health entities that are outfitted to provide emergency care in the Interior Region. Lastly, because Guyana's Interior Region is comprised of dense tropical forests, mountains, and savannahs, traveling to urban areas for care can take many days and even weeks on foot.
By operating its air ambulance program, Remote Area Medical is able to connect Amerindian villagers with emergency health care services they would not have access to otherwise. This directly translates into lives being saved! As of early 2021, the Air Ambulance has been repaired after being grounded while those repairs were completed. Due to COVID-19, travel is still in a holding pattern, but we are looking forward to returning and getting back in service to those in need.
RAM's air ambulance program provides quick, sustainable, and reliable emergency transportation to hundreds of Amerindian villagers in need of immediate medical care. This will allow native populations of Guyana to remain in their communities and to be healthy, happy, productive, and engaged with their friends, families, and neighbors.
