Air Ambulances: A New Path to Saving Lives in Remote Areas

In an archipelagic nation like Indonesia, the distance to a hospital is sometimes not merely a matter of kilometres. In mountainous regions, outer islands, or areas with limited road access, the journey to healthcare services can take hours. In an emergency, that span of time can be the thin line between life and death.

President Prabowo Subianto’s idea of providing air ambulances and flying doctor teams therefore opens new hope. However, the service is considered to require far broader preparation than simply providing helicopters or small aircraft.

Aviation medicine specialist Vika Cokronegoro said the concept of an air ambulance must be built as a complete medical evacuation system. Aircraft, health workers, hospitals, medical equipment, and even land and sea transportation must be connected in a single chain of service.

According to Vika, the term air ambulance refers to the air fleet used to transport patients. Meanwhile, flying doctor refers to the medical team that accompanies the patient during the journey until arrival at the destination hospital.

“Flying Doctor refers to the medical team that accompanies the patient during the journey until the patient arrives at the destination hospital,” Vika told reporters on Friday (21/8/2026).

During the journey, medical personnel carry portable emergency equipment. The equipment must be able to follow the patient from the hospital or point of origin, into the ground ambulance, transfer to the aircraft, and then be used again until the patient arrives at the destination health facility.

For Vika, an aircraft cabin is not merely a vehicle that flies faster. The aviation environment has characteristics that can affect the patient’s body.

Oxygen levels in the cabin can be lower than conditions at the surface. Air pressure also changes. The patient’s body can also be subjected to certain forces during the flight.

“Examples of these risks are low oxygen levels in the cabin, which are dangerous for patients with anaemia, heart and lung disorders, lower air pressure or hypobaric conditions, and forces acting on the patient or G-force that we must watch for in patients with bleeding,” she explained.

Therefore, not all patients can simply be flown. Medical conditions must be assessed first so that the speed of air travel does not instead present new risks.

In the world of medical evacuation, Vika explained that there are several approaches depending on the patient’s condition.

For patients who have not yet received definitive therapy, medical personnel can apply the stay and play principle. The patient is first stabilised before being moved. This approach can be used, for example, when a patient experiences airway obstruction or cardiac arrest requiring immediate assistance.

There is also the scoop and run approach. In this condition, the patient must be taken as quickly as possible to a hospital capable of providing definitive treatment. Patients with severe bleeding requiring surgery are one example.

Meanwhile, patients who have received initial treatment at a hospital can be flown to a service centre with more complete facilities.

“For example, a burn patient who has been stabilised, whose airway has been secured, and who has received analgesics, can then be flown to a hospital with a burn unit,” said Vika.

The choice of aircraft also cannot be uniform. Indonesia’s geographical conditions mean that one type of fleet is not necessarily suitable for all regions.

Jet aircraft can be used on certain routes, but require adequate runways. Propeller aircraft are more feasible for use at airports with certain limitations. In water areas, seaplanes can be an alternative as long as they meet safety requirements.