The Air Mercy Service (AMS) has celebrated its 60th anniversary, marking six decades of aero-medical transport, rescue operations and healthcare outreach across South Africa.
The organisation was established in 1966 and operates a Flying Doctor outreach programme alongside emergency aero-medical transport and rescue services, primarily serving remote and rural communities. It is based at Cape Town International Airport’s general aviation area.
The anniversary event, held at the AMS base, brought together government leaders, international partners and stakeholders from the aviation and healthcare sectors.
Gideon Sam, AMS chairman, said the milestone represented a moment of strategic intent for the organisation. He outlined three priorities for the next phase: removing distance as a barrier to care, deepening integration with South Africa’s public health system and driving innovation and sustainability.
“From the outset, our work was never designed to stand alone; it was built to be embedded within the broader national health agenda, extending specialist care into the most underserved communities,” Sam said.
CEO Farhaad Haffejee said AMS’s role was to support provincial health departments, extend hospital capacity and enable access to care in areas that would otherwise go without.
“Every flight we undertake represents a critical moment, a patient in need, a community in distress, a healthcare system under pressure,” Haffejee said. “Our role is to respond efficiently, safely and with clinical excellence.”
