More than 80 helicopter flights have been made this year in "Kazaviaspas" JSC under the ministry for emergencies that saved dozens of lives and that is part of the National Healthcare Program "Salamatty Kazakstan," implemented jointly with the healthcare ministry.

The aircraft of the "Kazaviaspas" JSC have carried 154 tons of humanitarian aid loads to Pakistan, Turkey and Japan, from which the air rescuers had transported 132 people. The company’s helicopters were evacuating people from the flood zones in the West Kazakhstan region. This year, the rescuers have transported 86 patients. Two surgeries and 29 medical consultations are on their record too.

Under the state Healthcare program another four EC-145 and two AK-32 helicopters were added to the "Kazaviaspas" fleet. The first flight on the new "Eurocopter" was made in March. The equipment these helicopters avail of helps save many lives. And the Ka-32 helicopter, for one, supplied with modern navigational equipment, is helpful in most adverse weather conditions in firefighting, discharging up to 3 tons of water at a time from a water cannon.

Seven regional offices of the JSC "Kazaviaspas" are to be established within the years 2012-2015. Construction of a MES airbase has been started in Astana and of hangars for helicopters EC-145 in Kyzylorda and Balkhash. In 2012 another seven hangars will be built in Aktau, Uralsk, Aktobe, Kostanai, Taraz, Ust-Kamenogorsk, Shalkar. This means that the state health program "Salamatty Kazakstan" will get a substantial “air” support.

Julia POLONSKY