Accra, February 10 - Dr Enoch Opoku Afriyie, a specialist in emergency medicine, commends the crew of Delta Air Lines for their prompt response to a medical incident that occurred during the flight.
Dr. Afriyie responded to an emergency call to assist a senior citizen who suffered a heart attack, four hours into a Delta flight from Accra's Kotoka International Airport in June of the previous year.
The crew's prompt response was crucial in saving the man's life, as every second counts in a cardiac arrest situation, just like in medical emergencies where a doctor must act swiftly to save a patient.
Dr. Afriyie commended the accessibility of medical tools such as "blood pressure cuff" and "oximeter," found in the Enhanced Emergency Medical Kits (EEMK) on the Delta flight.
"I was thoroughly impressed by the flight crew's response and cooperation... I'm grateful that Delta had measures in place when situations like this occur," he added.
Dr. Afriyie has eleven years of experience as a medical doctor and five years as a specialist in emergency medicine.
He is currently working towards a second Master's degree in Public Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Dr Henry Ting, Senior Vice President, Chief Health & Wellness Officer, commended Dr Afriyie for his efforts in providing medical assistance to the ailing traveller.
It was a pleasure to have you on board with us, and we appreciate the help you gave us...
“Medical volunteers such as yourself enhance our onboard emergency response capabilities and contribute to our mission of safeguarding the health and well-being of our passengers and staff,” Dr Ting stated.
As safety experts, Delta Air Lines flight attendants receive training to offer medical assistance during in-flight medical emergencies.
According to officials, each Delta aircraft is equipped with two Enhanced Emergency Medical Kits, containing life-saving medications and equipment such as an automated blood pressure cuff, an oxygen saturation pulse oximeter, a first aid kit, and an automated external defibrillator.
The flight crew can connect on-demand to emergency medicine physicians on the ground through MedLink by MedAire, a resource that assists crew members and medical volunteers in assessing the customer's condition and providing care.
“Delta aircraft are also equipped with the Red Pouch, a suite of additional medical diagnostic equipment, to utilize for the most common medical events,” the company stated.
"Delta flight crew are trained to routinely request medical assistance from passengers who are licensed medical professionals or physicians on board to assist during an in-flight medical emergency," it added.
GNA