FACH and the Ministry of Health

El Mostrador, Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Dear Director:

I was surprised that as a result of the failed air transfer of organs from the recently deceased Joaquin, some people blamed FACH for this situation. Those who do so either do not understand anything or are expressing opinions without being informed. The current procedure, at least until the weekend of July 20-21, indicates that FACH is the last to be contacted after requests for air transport services have been made to private air transport companies and Carabineros. In this case, after not receiving confirmation of availability from the former, the Ministry of Health contacted FACH late on Saturday night, and despite this, FACH confirmed the availability of the aircraft it has in Santiago for contingencies of this type. What we have here is a procedure from the Ministry of Health that is poorly defined and fraught with risks, as demonstrated by the failure that occurred in Temuco. I say this because if these types of activities are critical—and it seems we would all agree on that—there should be aircraft always available for transfers, whether owned or contracted from third parties for any event. We cannot, in extreme situations, be begging for aircraft, and when that fails, pass the problem to FACH when there is nothing more to be done. I am not clear that the solution proposed by Minister Mañalich resolves the issue, as it avoids the transfer from Temuco to Santiago but still leaves the problem of transfers from cities south and north of Temuco to Temuco or other cities in Chile. It is time for us to do things seriously and not continue improvising, and why not, in honor of Joaquin Bustos Palma, let us organize this once and for all, making the necessary centers available throughout Chile, and the necessary aircraft for transfers, whether from FACH or third parties, but let us not continue with a procedure that is clearly poorly defined. Joaquin Bustos Palma deserves much more than what we witnessed over the weekend.

Richard Kouyoumdjian
Vice President of AthenaLab

Source: El Mostrador