Zambia Flying Doctor Service

07/11/2025

PHOTO FOCUS⭐️ VOLLEYBALL TEAM IN ACTION

07/11/2025

Even the rain can’t wash away our passion. 🌧️
The ZFDS Football Team — built for resilience, driven by unity. 💪

07/11/2025

07/11/2025

TEAM VOLLEYBALL ⭐️

04/11/2025

ZFDS CONDUCTS MEDICAL EVACUATIONS ACROSS TWO PROVINCES⭐️

The Zambia Flying Doctor Service (ZFDS) yesterday successfully executed life-saving emergency medical evacuation mission across two provinces, airlifting four patients from Chinsali General Hospital and one patient from Mansa General Hospital to Lusaka for advanced specialist treatment.

The urgent referral requests were made by Dr. Mackford Chipili, Medical Superintendent at Mansa General Hospital, and Dr. Simuyemba Kasuba, Acting Medical Superintendent at Chinsali General Hospital, citing the need for specialized intervention at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) and the National Heart Hospital.

Approval for the transfers was granted by the Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary for Technical Services, Dr. Lishimpi.

The ZFDS aircraft, registration 9J-FDS, commenced the mission from Ndola at 07:02 hours, landing in Mansa at 07:55 hours before proceeding to Chinsali, where it arrived at 10:30 hours. The medical team promptly prepared the patients for transfer, three of whom required continuous oxygen support.

The aircraft departed Chinsali at 11:31 hours, with ZFDS paramedics providing continuous in-flight medical monitoring and care. The mission was successfully completed under the command of Chief Pilot Patrick Kawanu and Co-Pilot Elvis Kite, with the aircraft landing safely in Lusaka at 13:20 hours.

Upon arrival at the Zambia Air Force (ZAF) Base at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, the patients were immediately handed over to awaiting ambulance teams and transferred to UTH and the National Heart Hospital for urgent management.

The Zambia Flying Doctor Service remains dedicated in its commitment to delivering cost-effective and efficient aeromedical services across the Country.

03/11/2025

BUILDING HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES: ZFDS BRINGS HEALTHCARE SERVICES TO CHAKWELA MAKUMBI CEREMONY⭐️

The Zambia Flying Doctor Service (ZFDS), in collaboration with the Chongwe District Health Office, provided integrated healthcare services at the 2025 Chakwela Makumbi Traditional Ceremony, reaching the Soli community gathered at Makuyu Royal Palace in Nkomeshya Village, Chongwe District.

The ZFDS team was lead by Director Legal Services and Corporate Affairs,Mrs Luyando Mbilika-Shimalukwe and Director Medical Services, Director Medical Services,Dr. Chisanga P**a who paid a courtesy on her Royal Highness Chieftainess Nkomeshya Mukamambo II. The team conducted a medical outreach during the annual ceremony held under the theme "Our Heritage, Our Future."

The ZFDS team deployed dental, eye care, laboratory, pharmacy, and general medical services to address healthcare access gaps among ceremony attendees and local residents. Medical professionals conducted dental examinations and treatments, performed eye screenings and distributed corrective lenses, provided laboratory diagnostic services, dispensed medications through pharmacy services, and offered general medical consultations.

The outreach demonstrated the value of collaboration between healthcare providers and traditional authorities. The Chakwela Makumbi ceremony, which signifies prayers for good rainfall in the upcoming farming season, brought together the Soli people in one location, creating an ideal opportunity for comprehensive healthcare delivery.

Traditional ceremonies offer unique opportunities for healthcare delivery, as they bring together communities that may otherwise be scattered across remote areas. ZFDS expressed gratitude to Her Royal Highness for recognizing the importance of integrating health services into this significant cultural gathering.

ZFDS continues to coordinate with traditional authorities and Government health structures to identify strategic intervention opportunities, contributing to national efforts toward Universal Health Coverage.

02/11/2025

ZFDS PERFORMS 31 OPERATIONS IN FOUR DAYS⭐️

The transformative impact of the Zambia Flying Doctor Service (ZFDS) was felt in Chama District, as a specialist surgeon transported from the Copperbelt performed 31 life-changing surgical procedures in just four days as part of an specialized medical outreach.

Specialist Surgeon Dr. Maka Silungwe, based at Roan Antelope General Hospital, was flown into the district by ZFDS to treat patients suffering from conditions that had long remained untreated due to the absence of local specialist surgical services.

The surgical mission delivered immediate relief to several critical cases,these included the following:

* Thyroidectomy Success: A 25-year-old man suffering from a massive anterior neck swelling, which caused difficulty swallowing and breathing when lying flat, underwent a successful subtotal thyroidectomy. He has since made a full recovery.

* Paediatric Surgery: A five-year-old girl with a congenital thyroglossal duct cyst successfully underwent a complex Sistrunk procedure (the complete removal of the cyst, tract, and a section of the hyoid bone). Her recovery was described as uneventful.

Other operations carried out included essential procedures such as hernia repairs, hydrocelectomies, and the excision of ganglions and lipomas, bringing the total number of surgeries performed to 31.

Dr. Silungwe praised the ZFDS for making the outreach possible, highlighting the Service’s logistical support and mandate to fly specialists into hard-to-reach areas.

The surgical mission was part of a wider ZFDS outreach that coincided with the Kwenje Traditional Ceremony in Chipata.

The overall mission saw hundreds of residents benefiting from general medical consultations, dental and eye care, laboratory services, and pharmacy support.

The success of the mission underscores ZFDS’s continued fulfillment of its mandate.

02/11/2025

ZFDS RECAPITALIZATION BRINGS HEALTHCARE CLOSER TO THE PEOPLE OF CHAMA⭐️

The Zambia Flying Doctor Service (ZFDS) has demonstrated President Hakainde Hichilema’s commitment to providing equitable healthcare by leveraging its recent recapitalization to deliver emergency and specialized medical services to even the remotest, rain-cut-off areas.

Speaking at the Kwenje Traditional Ceremony in Chama District,Eastern Province on Saturday, ZFDS Chief Executive Officer Dr. George NG'UNI announced that the recapitalization program has transformed the Service operational capacity.

The recapitalization included not only the purchase of modern medical equipment, A Bell 212 helicopter, christened Kenneth David Kaunda (KDK) in honour of Zambia's founding President and first Service Patron, but also a fleet of new vehicles.

Dr. NG’UNI emphasized that the helicopter, seen hovering over Chama and other rural districts, is a tangible delivery on the Government’s promise to strengthen rural healthcare.

"With these tools, we can now reach communities that become inaccessible during the rainy season, including evacuating expectant mothers who develop complications," Dr. NG'UNI said.

This year marked ZFDS’s first-ever participation at the Kwenje Traditional Ceremony, where the Service provided extensive free medical services to hundreds of residents from Chama.

The ZFDS medical team arrived on Tuesday and conducted four days of outreach programs at Chifunda and Chikwa Rural Health Centres before setting up a two-day medical camp at the Kwenje arena.

According to ZFDS Medical Officer Dr. Jonathan Masalo, a total of 1,895 patients received treatment during the outreach.

Services included general consultations, laboratory tests, pharmacy services, dental care, eye services, and 31 surgical operations.

During his visit, Dr. NG’UNI paid a courtesy call on Senior Chief Kambombo, who raised concerns about limited access to eye and dental care in remote areas.

The CEO assured the traditional leader that ZFDS would conduct a full-fledged outreach program in Chama to extend its specialized services to more people.

As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), ZFDS has also embarked on a mentorship initiative by adopting Boys’ Brigade and Girls’ Brigade groups to help deter young people from engaging in early s*x and substance abuse.

The colourful ceremony was officiated by Minister of Small and Medium Enterprise Development, Hon. Elias Mubanga, and attended by Eastern Province Minister Hon.Peter Phiri, State House Special Advisor to the President Mr. Levy Ngoma, and several traditional leaders.

Dr. NG'UNI thanked President Hichilema for his continued support, saying the recapitalization demonstrates the Government’s belief that “a life in Chama matters just as much as a life in Lusaka.”

In his keynote address, Hon. Mubanga assured the people of Eastern Province of the Government’s commitment to equitable development, while Senior Chief Kambombo appealed for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to harness the district’s natural resources.

The Zambia Flying Doctor Service continues to serve as a lifeline for rural communities, fulfilling its vision of ensuring no life is left behind.

01/11/2025

ZFDS EVACUATES SURVIVOR OF FATAL NYIMBA CRASH TO UTH FOR URGENT SURGERY ⭐️

The Zambia Flying Doctor Service (ZFDS) yesterday ,Friday, October 31, 2025, evacuated a 28-year-old survivor of the tragic road crash at Kacholola, Nyimba District, directly to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka.

The urgent transfer was necessitated by the severity of the patient's injuries, which required specialized orthopaedic and trauma intervention only available in lusaka.

The gravity of the crash, which occurred on Thursday of this week, was immediately apparent in the patient's clinical presentation.

Following stabilization at Kalindawalo General Hospital, an urgent request for transfer was issued, detailing the patient's polytrauma—a condition where multiple severe injuries occur simultaneously.

The Kacholola crash, which reportedly involved a passenger vehicle and a bus, has unfortunately recorded numerous casualties, with many other victims still admitted to Nyimba District Hospital.

Authorities are yet to release a consolidated and official casualty list.

The ZFDS ensured rapid transfer using the aircraft, 9J-AGC.

The mission, captained by Lasford Manchisi - ZFDS Director Aviation Services, with co-pilot Chanda Mupangwe, ensured the timely, life-saving care.

The aircraft departed Ndola in the morning and flew into Petauke to pick up the patient before landing at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) at 13:40.

The UTH emergency personnel were ready at ZAF base - Kenneth Kaunda International Airport , immediately transporting the patient by ambulance to the specialist trauma unit for admission and urgent surgical planning.

The successful, specialized air transfer highlights the essential function of the ZFDS in mitigating fatalities and severe disability following major road tragedies across the Country.

31/10/2025

A MISSION IN THE AIR ⭐️

The Zambia Flying Doctor Service (ZFDS) yesterday successfully carried out an emergency medical evacuation, airlifting an emergency 85-year-old male patient from Ndola Teaching Hospital to Lusaka for urgent and specialized treatment.

The patient was suffering from a myocardial infarction, a life-threatening condition that occurs when blood flow to the heart is blocked, causing part of the heart muscle to die. He was admitted to Ndola Teaching Hospital on 29 October 2025, where an urgent referral request was made by the hospital’s Head of Clinical Care, Dr. Misa Funjika.

Given the intensity of his condition and the need for advanced cardiac care, a referral to the National Heart Hospital in Lusaka was necessary. Once the emergency request was approved by the Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary Technical Services.Dr Kennedy Lishimpi. The ZFDS immediately mobilized its aeromedical response team to coordinate both land and air operations for the quick transfer.

The evacuation was conducted using the ZFDS aircraft registration 9J–AGC, flown by Director of Aviation Services Col. Lasford Manchisi, assisted by Officer Chanda Mumpangwe.

The aircraft departed Ndola at 11:31 hours and landed safely in Lusaka at 12:30hours.

On arrival at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport ZAF Base, an ambulance from the National Heart Hospital was on standby to transfer the patient directly to the facility, where he is now receiving specialized medical care.

The Zambia Flying Doctor Service continues to demonstrate its commitment to providing timely, efficient, and lifesaving aeromedical support from the Ministry of Health.
Through such efforts, the Service remains an essential contributor to the national goal of achieving Universal Health Coverage for all.

The ZFDS team has expressed heartfelt wishes for the patient’s speedy recovery.

30/10/2025

MAN WITH MASSIVE SPLENOMEGALY GETS A NEW LEASE ON LIFE⭐️

A 39-year-old man suffering from massive splenomegaly has received a new lease on life following a successful, complex two-hour operation at Chama District Hospital.

The delicate surgery was made possible by the Zambia Flying Doctor Service (ZFDS), which flew a specialized surgical team into the remote region.

The patient, who had endured progressive abdominal swelling, chronic pain, and severe fatigue for several years, was diagnosed with an enlarged spleen secondary to hypersplenism.

This condition is often linked to recurrent malaria infections in the area.

His significantly enlarged spleen had caused debilitating abdominal discomfort, premature fullness after eating, and general weakness that severely impacted his daily function.

The high-stakes procedure was led by Dr. Maka Silungwe, a Consultant Surgeon from Ndola Teaching Hospital, who was transported to Chama as part of the ZFDS's specialized medical outreach.

Dr. Silungwe was supported by a dedicated team, including Anaesthetist Evalyne Chileshe and a theatre crew: Allan Sinyangwe (Theatre Nurse in Charge), Elizabeth Nakaonga (Theatre Nurse), Annie Liabomba (Registered Nurse), and Brian Jobooli (Porter).

The splenectomy was a major highlight among five successful operations performed during the ongoing ZFDS outreach in Chama District.

Other procedures included an incarcerated inguinal hernia repair and minor surgeries like ganglion cyst excision and hemorrhoidectomy.

Medical students Chiluba Kangwa, Favour Nakawala, and Lira Nyambe also participated in the surgery, gaining vital field training under the program.

Following the operation, Dr.Silungwe declared the procedure as success.

He has reaffirmed the Service's commitment to bridging the healthcare gap in hard-to-reach areas by bringing expert medical and advanced care directly to rural communities, ensuring that quality healthcare services reach every corner of the nation.