Nepalese helicopter operator Simrik Air is now providing air ambulance services for COVID-19 positive patients.

The Nepal Government and Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) recently permitted Simrik to carry Coronavirus infected patients while adhering to the health and safety guidelines following the protocols of the Ministry of Health and Population and WHO.

The operator has dedicated two of its five-strong fleet of helicopters exclusively to carrying COVID-19 patients. The first infected patient airlifted by Simrik Air was taken from Butwal to Kathmandu HAMS Hospital in a patient isolation unit, namely a biological (negative pressure) isolation chamber. Simrik has been delivering this service by transferring patients requiring immediate treatment to the requested sectors and hospitals, even during the lockdown period.

The Coronavirus pandemic is spreading rapidly in most parts of Nepal, leading CAAN to authorise Simrik's work.