Re: Air Ambulances in Pakistan - Getting it together
Thanks Amber & Abdullah, really.
Edhi and Askari do exist, but they are for humanitarian efforts. Their helicopters cant do anything for a family who needs to get grandma to the hospital asap. They're something else.
I didnt make it clear enough, but my motivation is not any social service. Rather, it's elitist in that I'm catering to a specific but significant wealthy population. The problem in Pakistan is that the income gap is monumental, but when it comes to medical emergencies - everyone's left to the ratty suzuki minivans stuck in traffic. Maybe if you're rich you'll get a Hyundai, but still, even with sirens blazing no one will get out of your way.Many people die in Pakistan simply waiting for people to move out of the way. For many families the affordability to air lift is there, but there is no mechanism to allow for it.
I'm banking on the impulse to "get to the hospital now". It's not exactly ethical. The good thing about Karachi and Lahore is that these rich enclaves are nearby. It's also HIGHLY concentrated. You have entire neighbourhoods which is willing and capable of using an air ambulance.
I emphasize the idea of an "insurance plan" type scheme. Where I generate revenue through subscriptions. I can even approach Adamjee Insurance or any other big insurance broker to get my service on some of their premium plans. I'm making it very clear, that I'm trying to capitalize on that instinctual desire to "get to the hospital now!!!".
Depending on the package you choose, you get a certain number of trips in a year. If you dont have a membership or you run out of trips, you'll be charged 2,500USD or whatever else the pay per use fee is. An airlift in North America will cost double that, but I'm only serving specific neighbourhoods. Defense. Clifton. That's it. Want the helicopter to go further than that, and i'll double the fee also. I cant afford to have the helicopter in North Nazimabad with a patient incase someone else needs a lift.
There is ONE operational problem, and because of it I wont be able to rent these planes out to VIPs. Emergencies happen without notice. I cant afford to be doing a tour of Karachi's beachfront when the helicopter is needed. This brings up the issue - what happens if two people require the helicopter at once? Its an issue I can deal with later.
I need to see if there's any demand for this. Would it be plausible to pay 140USD a month to ensure you'll be lifted once in any given year?