Flying Doctors Nigeria partners with Omni-Blu Aviation

Air ambulance and search and rescue provider Flying Doctors Nigeria has announced that it has been appointed as the medical service provider of helicopter services operator Omni-Blu Aviation (OBA).

The partnership will primarily support the provision of air medical services to the region’s oil and gas industry. OBA is already an established provider of offshore and spot charter flights for the sector and operates a Sirkorsky 76C++ in emergency medical service configuration for the purpose.

Flying Doctors Nigeria will support OBA’s operations in Lagos State, where the partners opened a new Oil and Gas Search, Rescue and Surveillance Command and Control Center on 22 February 2021.

The partnership supports government plans to improve insurance for the fossil fuel sector

The partnership is in support of a government program introduced by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) by which all offshore and onshore oil and gas workers will be provided with insurance, with the aim of reducing the risk of working in the sector.

Sarki Auwalu, the DPR’s Director, said: “If it is not safe, it cannot generate revenue, and if the revenue has to be constant, it has to be safe”.

Nigeria’s Air Force and the country’s Federal Fire Service also announced plans on 25 February to collaborate on the provision of aerial firefighting services in the country. In addition, tech firm Zipline also announced a partnership with the national government and the regional government of Bayelsa State earlier the same month, for the establishment of drone-based medical delivery services in the region.