BY: NICK MOSCA, DIRECTOR OF AVIATION OPERATIONS; PILOT
At Samaritan Aviation, our mission goes beyond responding to emergencies. We’re working to help remote communities in Papua New Guinea become more self-sufficient, starting with something as simple and essential as access to basic medicine before a crisis hits.
Just a few weeks ago, I saw the impact of this firsthand.
While visiting a village, several locals brought up the same concern: their nearby aid post had no medicine. Not rare or complicated treatments—just basic antibiotics.
When I got back, I contacted a neighboring village that operates the aid post. They confirmed they were expecting a shipment soon and would gladly receive a delivery.
But before we could send it, I got a call from the first village. A woman there had developed a growing sore, and without any medicine to treat it, they were requesting a medical evacuation.
Instead of launching a life flight, I explained that we’d be flying medicine to the aid post the very next day. If they could get her to the aid post, she’d receive the same treatment without needing to be flown to the hospital.
They agreed. And just like that, a life flight was avoided.
That’s exactly what we hope to achieve through these medical deliveries—getting critical supplies into villages before an emergency means patients can get help close to home, without facing days of travel or the need for evacuation.
Some villagers walk eight hours just to reach a canoe that takes them the next leg of the journey toward care. Our goal is to shorten that distance and multiply the impact.
When you support Samaritan Aviation, you’re investing in more than emergency flights. You’re part of a strategic effort to bring long-term solutions to remote communities so hope and healing can arrive sooner.
