Freeman Safaris
‘Yesterday’s Safaris Today’
Travel Insurance Requirements
Travel Insurance Cover
As we all know, travelling is fun, safaris are very adventurous and may involve a certain amount of personal risk. The fact that you are travelling in the third world can be described as adventurous as there are very few local hospitals able to provide the standard of healthcare expected or even required. Conditions can be harsh and affect your equipment - so make sure you are fully covered before travelling.
Like all insurance, in the unlikely situation you may need it, it must cater for all eventualities. It must adequately cover you for the conditions encountered in the third world. If you are to use your existing travel insurance policy we will need proof of cover.
The Flying Doctor Service
We also insist you have full Flying Doctor cover. Being isolated and off the beaten track requires instant medical cover which cannot wait for clearance or authorisation from the insurance company based in your home country. Time is usually of the utmost importance and no one provides such a fantastic service as AMREF, and all for £18.00.
"The Flying Doctor Service is part of the African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF) and was established over 40 years ago (in 1957) by Sir Michael Wood. Since then the Flying Doctors have been involved in many health care projects in East Africa, one of them being the Air Ambulance Services. The Flying Doctor Service provides air evacuation service in medical emergencies as well as air ambulance transfers between medical facilities. In addition, patients are repatriated to Europe and North America or medical escort is provided on commercial carriers. AMREF Flying Doctor Service operates 24 hours/day, 365 days of the year. Full time medical staff and aircrew are on standby to respond to emergencies. Patients will be accompanied by an emergency physician and/or accompanied by a critical care nurse, depending on clinical need. Physicians are experienced in emergency medicine and intensive care. All our flight nurses have worked for several years in intensive care medicine, are certified in advanced life support and have longstanding aero medical experience. AMREF owns and operates its own fleet of aircraft, which can be converted into airborne intensive care units, using modern medical equipment. As a vital link between remote areas and AMREF's base at the Wilson Airport in Nairobi, AMREF has established a radio network that comprises over 100 HF radio stations spread across East Africa, making it the largest two way radio network in Africa Medical Services Amref Flying Doctors Service."
AMREF publicity material
The service offered by AMREF includes:
|
Service / Case |
Information |
|
Evacuation by Air Ambulance |
To provide a quick and reliable air evacuation, when there is a medical need, to a hospital in an area or country where the medical standards are higher and more acceptable according to our knowledge and experience This is inside Africa transport |
|
Repatriation by Air Ambulance |
To provide a quick and reliable repatriation by private air ambulance to the home country or any other country upon request. This is transport from Africa to Europe, Asia or North America. |
|
Medical Escort |
To provide English speaking doctors and/or nurses, trained and experienced in emergency medicine, to accompany a patient/s on a commercial airline. This includes: • Organising for medical approval from the airline • Meeting and assistance at the airport • Organising wheelchair at the airport (if required) • Providing assistance with transport or other logistics if the medical escort team arrives from another country • To inform the hospital / doctor / patient / family of the arrangements |
© Freemansafaris.com 2012
“Across the river more and more elephants arrive in the trees, stopping to eat on the move with no real rush for the water. At first I thought there were about 50, but as we watch even more appear. They move into the water in waves until I have lost count at over 200. The herd consisted of many small groups, all out on a social gathering. Some were crossing, some drinking, some playing and others splashing. Babies of all ages were playing and falling in with just their trunks poking out of the water. Others were running and trumpeting. The river was awash with elephants, some coming right up to Bluebell and eating dom nuts from the ground.It was just an amazing sight and it was difficult to keep up with the activity..
We were really enjoying the scene when suddenly a large crocodile immediately in front of us reared up with a huge splash frightening a baby elephant which took off in the opposite direction making a hell of a racket. I’m not sure who was more scared, the croc or the elephant! The rest of the elephants in the immediate area trumpeted and dashed forward, forcing the croc to move off upstream and out of the way”
Anne
