Global Flying Hospitals

Global Flying Hospitals (GFH) is the humanitarian medical charity that is the Logistics Resource to the world's humanitarian medical charities. It was founded in 2001 by Neill Newton, to provide medical care in the Developing World. The charity delivers resources, equipment and supplies and transports volunteer medical professionals into regions requiring services with specialised aircraft, including the Boeing 747 Teaching Hospital, to serve residents in major cities. GFH has begun operations using commercial aircraft while the Boeing 747 is being refurbished.^[1]

GFH has a similar working model as Orbis International, the flying eye hospital using a refurbished DC10 aircraft. Global Flying Hospitals is refurbishing a small fleet of aircraft, including a Boeing 747, to cater for a wider range of illnesses and operations. The 747 is being converted into a high technology surgical teaching hospital, undergirded by Hercules C-130 aeroplanes for transport of medical field clinics.

Mission

• Providing Resources and Logistics to other humanitarian medical charities, to enable them to reach further and wider, and treat more people per mission.
• Training of medical professionals in those countries to raise standards
• Supplying of modular transportable field clinics and hospitals
• Supply of medical equipment
• Supply of medicines

Program features

• Specialized aircraft to instigate Stage 1: medical missions, using Boeing 747 aircraft refurbished as high-tech surgical teaching hospital and Hercules C130 cargo craft ferrying mobile field clinics
• Specialized clinics for Stage 2: ongoing treatment; provided by mobile and transportable clinics incorporating patented retractable wheels, designed as dental, ophthalmology and medical clinics, to be placed and secured onsite as permanent fixtures
• Stage 3: Online medical training portal with curriculum provided by the world’s leading medical colleges and medical professionals. Training on board the Boeing via video conferencing rooms linked to surgical theaters, and recording of medical procedures for reference.

Online Medical Training

GFH has developed an innovative medical training regime featuring medical procedures, available for the medical professionals in developing countries. This training focus is part of an intensive-immersion program to help raise countries to western standards, in order to establish them as self-sufficient and self-sustaining.

Restructuring

Between September and December 2008, GFH was reorganised. Its planned operation hub in Malaysia, was closed because that country's Tekah Airport, which had been selected as a base, had a runway too short for the charity's aeroplanes.^[2]

West Palm Beach, Florida, USA, is the base for the USA Region Office and Macau SAR, China is the base for the Asia Region Head Office, overseered by the International CEO. Newton is the organisation's Chairman and Founder.

Asia Region Head Office

In 2009, Global Flying Hospitals (Macau) Association was formed and received approval from the Macau SAR government.

In November 2011, the office was opened and is building to be the Asia Region Head Office and Hub, that will manage all future Asian fundraising centers.

On January 11, 2012, Sofitel Luxury Hotels engaged as an alliance sponsor of Global Flying Hospitals, at a signing ceremony, attended by VIPs, the media and invited guests. With this alliance, the Sofitel Hotels throughout Asia invite guest to donate and support the charity. Dedicated brochures and an in-room television channel further promote the alliance.

Planned Forward Hubs

The charity is currently working to open three operational bases; one in Ghana to serve West Africa, one in Bogotá, Colombia to serve South America and in Macau to serve South-East Asia, India and East Africa.

International media coverage

• Macau Business magazine devoted a double page to GFH to announce the launch of the Asia Region head office.Macau Business
• The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh's Quincentennial news magazine Surgeon's News featured GFH.^[3]
• Canada's Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons featured GFH in its journal, Outlook.^[4]
• ENT News, a trade journal covering audiology and ear, nose and throat specialisms, featured GFH at inception in its January 2002 issue in an article.^[5]

Websites

*US Region Head Office

*Asia Region Head Office.

References