The board of Fundashon Mariadal, Giovanni Frans, provided an explanation in the island council yesterday about the situation surrounding the ambulance flights. Mariadal wants to do everything in its power to contribute to a structural provision for reliable patient transport by air ambulance to nearby hospitals.
After a brief introduction about Fundashon Mariadal, Mr. Frans discussed the situation surrounding air ambulance flights. Mariadal has long had the need to sustainably ensure the quality, safety and continuity of patient transport by air ambulance to hospitals in the region. The foundation acted very cautiously and carefully. After the contract with Medicair ended, this process led to the choice of another company that met or was prepared to meet almost all of the crucial requirements set by FM. This was a temporary agreement for a transition phase of one year.
Of course, there were still some questions, partly due to the high demands that Mariadal sets. This included the rights to operate flights to Curaçao and Aruba. Mariadal has specifically obtained additional information from experts about this. On this basis, Mariadal came to the conclusion that the intended collaboration partner would be allowed to fly patients to the neighboring islands for the transition phase of one year. There was no reason at the time to suspect that this would turn out differently. Taking into account all the information available at the time, we were confident that the landing rights issue would be resolved in the short term. In order to leave nothing to chance, we then chose to appeal in parallel to the administrative judge of the Country of Curaçao.
Ambulance flights were now forced to fly to various hospitals in Colombia. When the situation continued, in consultation with Care and Youth Caribbean Netherlands and the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (ZJCN/VWS), we concluded a contract with a hospital more northerly in Barranquilla in Colombia. This allowed the flight time to be shortened. But the expected permission to still operate air ambulance flights to Curaçao and Aruba at some point became increasingly out of sight. This was reason for ZJCN/VWS to hire Medicair for two months, after consultation with Mariadal. At the same time, Mr Arkenbout was asked by ZJCN/VWS to investigate the possibilities for achieving an optimal, sustainable solution for air ambulance care.
We at Mariadal had a constructive discussion with Mr. Arkenbout, during which we promised him our full cooperation. We have also offered, if desired, to make an active contribution to finding and shaping that solution. We look forward with great interest to Mr Arkenbout’s conclusions and recommendations.
Mr Frans regrets that things turned out as outlined. Mariadal is all too aware of the concerns in the community, patients and their families, our government and our staff who work with heart and soul day in, day out. Mariadal feels obliged to do everything in our power to contribute to a sustainable provision for reliable patient transport by air ambulance to nearby hospitals.