Little Amorcisa became a MAF passenger at just a few weeks old, when a flight brought her to Dili for treatment. MAF’s care continued in hospital with the gift of essential supplies and the joy of a flight back home.
Amorcisa dos Santos, a two-month-old from Atauro Island, needed to be transferred with MAF to Timor-Leste’s National Hospital Guido Valadares in Dili when she developed a lung condition which could not be treated on the island.
Mother Juvita Soares Gomes explained how her little girl battled the serious condition.
“My baby had a cough and fever, so we decided to take her to the healthcare centre in Maumeta, the main village on Atauro Island,” said Mrs Gomes.
“After my baby was checked up, the nurse identified that she had an infection in her lungs and needed additional treatment in Dili because there was no specific equipment available for doing further physical examination.”
She would not be able to transfer by boat because it would require a sea crossing of one to three hours.
So, Timor-Leste’s national ambulance service called for an MAF flight as the best option to save the young patient.
“We are grateful that MAF can help us by providing the medevac service, which plays an important role in responding to emergency medical situations. Without it, our baby’s life would be at serious risk,” Mrs Gomes said.
Without it, our baby’s life would be at serious risk.
She was evacuated on an MAF plane piloted by Joe Farren. The flight took 15 minutes from Atauro Island to reach the mainland, which enabled them to bring Amorcisa closer to the treatment she needed.
The 28-year-old mum and her baby spent two weeks at the hospital but had brought insufficient supplies for their long-term stay.
MAF provides extra help for medevac patients by supplying bags containing essential items to support the patients during their time in the hospital.
“When we came from Atauro, we didn’t bring sufficient supplies. But, when we arrived in Dili, the MAF team gave us a care bag containing basic needs,” said Mrs Gomes.
“This means a lot to us because we did not bring enough supplies for an extended hospital stay, but MAF has helped us!
“It contains basic needs such as baby clothes, drinking water, food and a phone voucher to contact and stay in touch with our family.”
Estela Noronha, MAF’s Closing the Loop Coordinator, explained how the project makes a difference.
“We give out a care bag full of essential items to help people through a long hospital stay and difficult times. We pack food and toiletries like hand gel, which is helpful when there’s no running water and loved ones sit for days waiting for good news,” she said.
“When they receive a bag, it shows we care. It means so much that I can remind my people they are not forgotten.”
MAF then ensured that baby Amorcisa and her mum were able to return to their home village, with pilot Ping Domtta flying them back from Dili to Atauro Island.
Joe Farren, who piloted the initial MAF medevac flight, expressed his joy upon hearing that the patient had recovered and reached home safely.
“I'm happy that we could be part of this person's healing journey!” he said.
“It’s such amazing news to hear that the patient has made a fully recovery. This is exactly the reason why we are here - to provide opportunities for people to receive great health care and give them a second chance at life.”
In the first half of 2024, MAF distributed 148 care packs for medevac patients in Timor-Leste.