A race against time. A life saved.

A Volunteer Physician’s Journey with AMREF Flying Doctors – By Dr. Juergen Fleisch, MD, FIPP

Introduction:

Each year, AMREF Flying Doctors welcomes volunteer physicians from around the world to support our mission of saving lives. In this firsthand account, Dr. Juergen Fleisch shares his experience during a high-stakes emergency evacuation from Kisumu to Nairobi—and the power of teamwork, precision, and purpose in the field of aeromedical care.

A Second Tour with AMREF Flying Doctors

Returning to Kenya for my second volunteer stint with AMREF Flying Doctors (AFD) proved to be as intense as it was rewarding. Over just three weeks in Nairobi, time seemed to fly—pun intended—as we managed multiple evacuations involving critically ill patients from various parts of the region.

Each case brought new challenges and lessons, but one mission stood out sharply in my memory.

A Cardiac Emergency in Kisumu

On March 13th, 2025, at around 16:00hrs, a 50-year-old man collapsed in the lobby of Aga Khan Hospital in Kisumu. It was a witnessed cardiac arrest, prompting immediate Advanced Life Support (ALS). The resuscitation lasted 40 minutes before the patient regained a pulse—a medical milestone known as Return of Spontaneous Circulation (ROSC).

He was then intubated, sedated, and transferred to the Intensive Care Unit. However, the hospital lacked a catheterization lab, making it necessary to move him to Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi for urgent cardiac intervention.

Despite common obstacles in emergency referrals—financial delays, logistical gaps—this case moved swiftly because the patient was a Maisha Medical Evacuation Plan member. That coverage proved essential in accelerating the life-saving process.

“The Maisha Medical Evacuation Plan made the process seamless during a critical moment.”

The Evacuation Mission Begins

At 18:30hrs, I was picked up from my apartment and rushed to Wilson Airport. Alongside me were Anthony, a seasoned flight nurse, and Eunice, a newer team member. We departed aboard a PC-12 aircraft at 19:15hrs, bound for Kisumu.

Our pilots warned us: Kisumu International Airport would shut down by 21:00hrs. That left us less than 45 minutes to stabilize the patient and return to the airstrip.

In the Field: Teamwork and Precision

Upon arrival at the ICU, we were met by an exhausted medical team—and a devastated extended family trying to grasp how a routine afternoon had turned into a critical crisis.

Time was of the essence. We carefully received a concise handover and ensured that the patient’s lines, pumps, sedation, and inotropes remained secure. Transferring a critically ill patient between beds and stretchers—first to the ambulance, then to the aircraft—always carries risk. But with teamwork and precision, we managed it safely.

“From high-stakes ICU transfers to races against airport closures, the experience was both thrilling and deeply rewarding.”

We reached the airport gates at exactly 21:00hrs. By 21:15hrs, the patient and his wife were onboard, and Wilson Airport’s operations team coordinated our clearance to land past closing time. We touched down safely in Nairobi at 22:15hrs.

A Life Saved

The patient remained stable throughout the flight and was rushed directly to the Heart Cath Lab upon landing. Two days later, we received word that he had been weaned off sedation, was conscious, and was undergoing Continuous Veno-Venous Hemofiltration (CVVHF) due to kidney failure—but he was alive.

“Receiving news of recovering patients is the ultimate reminder of why we do what we do.”

Why I Volunteer

This mission was more than a medical transfer—it was a testament to what happens when expertise, teamwork, and compassion come together under pressure. The support from AFD’s operations team, the professionalism of the nurses, the pilots’ precision, and the seamless communication from dispatch made the impossible possible.