Medical team crosses border to help patient

Team members of Hi-Tech Medical Service are considered heroes after their ambulance successfully transported a Mozambican national back to his home on Friday. It was the first time the service had attempted to cross the border with a patient.

According to Mr Jacques Ainslie, operational manager of Hi-Tech Medical Service, the man was involved in a car accident on Friday in which he sustained serious injuries to his pelvis.

“He had to be transported back to Maputo but was not allowed to drive due to the nature of his injuries,” Ainslie told Nelspruit Post. “Mr Muhammed Akoojee called us to find out whether we would be willing to make the trip to Maputo and what our price would be. We did not expect the call and we were not exactly sure how it all would work or what paperwork would be involved, but Akoojee took care of all of that.”

Akoojee is a good Samaritan who makes a career out of helping Mozambican citizens who have any type of legal or health issues in South Africa. He inherited the “business” from his parents. “About 15 years ago my kind-hearted parents drove around helping Mozambicans who were stuck in South Africa. I guess I got it from them.

According to Akoojee, Hi-Tech Medical Service was by far the cheapest. “The team was very efficient and lovely to work with,” Akoojee said. “I will never use anyone else. They also had the best price of all the ambulances by far.”

Mss Tristan van Huyssteen and Rejoice Biya were the paramedics who made the seven-hour trip to the neighbouring country.

“Although it was only a 200-kilometre trip, the queue at the border was very long due to it being the end of the school holidays and the beginning of the weekend. Besides that, we had no other issues. All the paperwork was sorted out and the transportation went smoothly,” Ainslie said.

He also said state ambulances did not make cross-border trips like this one.

“We will definitely be willing to help out again if a patient is ever in a similar situation.”