The International Assistance Group expands compassionate funeral care and international repatriation expertise with Last Journey Funeral Home partnership in India

Paris, France, 10 December 2024 – The International Assistance Group (IAG), the world’s largest network of independent assistance partners and providers, expands its global network in compassionate funeral management and repatriation services with the addition of Last Journey Funeral Home to its global alliance of Accredited Service Providers .

 

Last Journey Funeral Home joins IAG’s network of more than 160 medical and travel assistance companies offering specialist services in human remains transportation, customs clearance, and end-to-end funeral arrangement coordination.

With a global presence across India, the UAE, Qatar, Germany, Bangladesh, the UK, the US, Thailand, Mauritius, Malaysia and the Maldives, Last Journey Funeral Home has the reach and capabilities to support IAG partners around the world.

General Manager of the International Assistance Group, Louise Heywood said Last Journey brings unparalleled expertise in the delicate process of funeral management to their global network,”

“This partnership reinforces IAG’s mission to provide seamless assistance to individuals and families during challenging times,” she said.

Since its inception, Last Journey Funeral Home has supported over 15,000 families and earned recognition from international embassies for their commitment to honouring diverse customs and traditions.

This partnership further strengthens IAG’s global presence and enhances its ability to deliver exceptional, end-to-end support for end-of-life arrangements.

 

 

 

 International Assistance Group’s Accredited Service Providers are specialist companies with strong experience and capabilities supporting medical assistance organisations. They range from air ambulances and commercial medical transport services to funeral directors, hospitals, house call doctors translation services and more. IAG Accredited Service Providers enjoy access to IAG’s case collaboration portal, Quote to Fly air ambulance system and IAG e-learning modules. They support and collaborate with IAG partners globally to help travellers in need. 

 

 

Central European air ambulance expertise expanded with Jet Executive

Paris, France, 12 November 2024 – Expanding our network of air ambulance to meet the increased demands of our expanding network, we are delighted to announce that Jet Executive International has joined the International Assistance Group as an Accredited Service Provider.

 

Meeting the exacting standards of the German aviation and medical authorities, Jet Executive owns and operates three Learjet 35s with additional wing-tip fuel capacity plus the spacious mid-range Learjet 55 from their base in Munich, Germany. Two pilots, a flight physician and an ALS paramedic, are the standard crew composition on all missions.

 

Recently re-accredited by EURAMI, Jet Executive holds the approved specifications for Fixed Wing Air Ambulance, Long Range Intercontinental Fixed Wing and Adult Critical Care.

 

‘We are excited that Jet Executive is joining our alliance, with their stated commitment towards collaboration and knowledge sharing’, commented IAG’s General Manager Louise Heywood.

 

Founded as an air charter company in 1988, the last 25 years have focussed on air ambulance operations, gaining a successful reputation with major assistance companies. The admission of Jet Executive as an Accredited Service Provider follows the IAG’s ISO 9001-compliant vetting process.

The International Assistance Group announces further enhancements to its African network as Phoenix Aviation is selected to join

Paris, France, October 30, 2024 – Our capabilities and capacity in East Africa have increased with the addition of Phoenix Aviation to the network. In addition to our ISO 9001 compliant vetting process, they are a EURAMI Accredited Provider, demonstrating their commitment to maintaining high standards.

 

From their base in Kenya, their mixed fleet of aircraft tackles local and continental missions, extending into the EU through their European Aviation Safety Agency permit. Supported by a team of certified engineers, Phoenix Aviation also provides regulated maintenance and executive charters, showing the depth of their operation.

 

‘We are delighted to welcome Phoenix Aviation to our group,’ stated Louise Heywood, the IAG’s General Manager. She added:’ With tourism and inward investment returning to the region, we have been working hard to ensure our network has the skills and capacity to meet that demand.’

 

Kenya and neighboring countries are all within reach of their two King Air turboprops as well as their Grand Caravan piston aircraft, which can be used for short airstrip landings. Their  5 Cessna Citations jets of different models are  Sovereign C680, Citation Excel C560 or Citation Bravo C550 available for missions further afield.

 

Under the supervision of Phoenix Aviation’s Chief Medical Officer, medical crew are selected for their experience and training in emergency and critical care environments. All new medical personnel undertake the foundational course in critical considerations in aeromedical training (CCAT).

 

Welcome Global Assistance as our Assistance Partner for the Czech Republic

Paris, France, 1 October 2024 – Leading assistance company, Global Assistance, has successfully gained our Assistance Partner status for inbound cases to the Czech Republic (Czechia) following our ISO 9001 accredited vetting process.

 

A significant, full-service player in the roadside and mobility arenas, Global Assistance has also established a solid reputation for handling medical cases in the Czech Republic’s mainly public health care system. These have been the pillars of their development since being founded 20 years ago.

 

‘We are delighted to welcome Global Assistance into our unique alliance after being a valued correspondent for many years commented IAG’s General Manager, Louise Heywood. She added, ‘This is an important endorsement of our growing profile in roadside assistance and an important asset to travellers coming in from many parts of the world.’

 

The appetite to continuously develop the quality and scope of services now means that Global Assistance has extended into telemedicine, employee assistance programmes, legal assistance, and cyber-security. Since its foundation in 2004, Global Assistance has held the ISO 9001 quality management accreditation.

 

With a population of under 11 million, the Czech Republic welcomed over 26 million visitors in 2022, striving to return to the pre-pandemic high of over 35 million. Its landlocked position, history, and countryside make it an attractive road, rail, and air destination.

Canadian pivot for domestic and international commercial medical escorts: Jet Companion joins the International Assistance Group

Paris, France, 28 May 2024 – We are delighted to welcome Jet Companion as an Accredited Service Provider to the International Assistance Group. This gives our partners an additional resource for medical stretchers and escorts on commercial airlines using Canada as a hub for domestic, international and multi-leg missions.

With its team of trained physicians, nurses, and advanced care paramedics, Jet Companion links to 191 countries to provide solutions for many low to high-complexity cases where a dedicated critical care air ambulance is not clinically necessary. The benefit rests with potentially lower costs without seeking to compromise medical care.

‘With insurers seeking to contain costs and commercial airline transport solutions decreasing, it is important for our partners to have an increasing number of options at their disposal,’ stated Louise Heywood, International Assistance Group’s General Manager.

‘Passing the International Assistance Group‘s ISO 9001 vetting process is a wonderful achievement. We are thrilled to be now an Accredited Service Provider to such a respected alliance of independent assistance companies,’ added Rudy de Kort, Jet Companion’s CEO.

Founded in 2019 to link Canada’s vast area to city-based services, Jet Companion grew rapidly through commercial medical escort operations to Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and Europe. Today, this extends to Africa, the Middle East and the Pacific with an end-to-end service, including wing-to-wing transfers. Able to call on a medical team of 20 people, 70 international transportation cases were handled in the last 12 months.

Portuguese-speaking Africa: Viscura appointed Assistance Partner

Paris, France, 29 April 2024 – We are delighted to announce that Viscura Internacional has been appointed as an International Assistance Group (IAG) Assistance Partner for four Portuguese-speaking countries in Africa.

Viscura’s appointed areas, including Angola, Mozambique, São Tomé & Principe, and the popular tourist destination of Cape Verde, face many challenges. These include language barriers, limited medical facilities, and supply shortages. In each location, additional factors can further complicate medical cases, such as unstable security, human rights and humanitarian situations, or weak infrastructures driven by poverty and climate shock. Understanding and navigating those factors underscores the crucial role of Viscura’s assistance.

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, Viscura pioneered an adaptable approach to medical assistance. They established a virtual, nurse-led unit based in Lisbon, specifically designed to cater to the needs of the Portuguese-speaking community, especially in challenging locations. This innovative team is connected to local medical directors in each country, ensuring comprehensive support through telemedicine and comprehensive medical case management.

The assistance unit works with partners in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

On being appointed as an IAG Assistance Partner, Manuel Silva, Viscura’s CEO, stated, ‘We are thrilled to have passed the IAG’s vetting process and are now recognised as an Assistance Partner.’ He added, ‘ We are keen to participate in the collaborative nature of the IAG and help partners resolve challenging cases in our countries of focus.’

‘It is exciting to have such a focused company join us as an Assistance Partner,’ stated IAG’s General Manager Louise Heywood,’ These are demanding places for the expatriate and travelling communities. The status of Assistance Partner is a commitment to all partners within the IAG to deliver a quality service.’

Viscura’s commitment to social responsibility involves facilitating emergency medical training for doctors and nurses, primarily through American Heart Association courses. The program commences with agreements to train and certify doctors and medical personnel in Cape Verde. They hope to initiate the program by 2025.

Increased commitment in West & Central Africa: Cameroun Assistance Sanitaire

Paris, France – 22 April 2024 – Our Correspondent since 2012, Cameroun Assistance Sanitaire (CAS), has strengthened its commitment to the International Assistance Group by successfully obtaining Core Partner status.

 

In addition to its base in Cameroon, CAS alarm centres are situated in Libreville (Gabon) and Conakry (Guinea), broadening that commitment in West Africa. These platforms and their regional knowledge may go some way in assisting in the Central African Republic, Chad and Republic of Congo, where the setting can be dangerous, volatile or restrictive.

 

As a complete medical assistance provider, CAS’s clients include notable companies in oil & gas, mining, construction and other commercial activities directly. Furthermore, well-known names in the insurance and assistance industries serving travellers and expatriates.

 

Due to recent success in securing some government contracts with outbound travellers, Cameroun Assistance Sanitaire has invested in Core Partner status to access our extensive global network.

 

‘After over ten years with the International Assistance Group we are delighted they have stepped up from correspondent status to become an accredited Core Partner”, commented the IAG General Manager, Louise Heywood.

 

CAS’s commitment to providing medical care in under-resourced environments includes investment in a dedicated clinic at the seaport and beach resort of Kribi in Cameroon, on-site services for expatriates and medical and paramedical personnel training. Additionally, they operate 11 dedicated ground ambulances to provide an immediate response and guide to the best available care within the limited options available.

Learjets from South Africa. Universal Air Evac joins us as an Accredited Service Provider

Paris, France, 28th March 2024 – Providing two permanently configured Learjet 35 air ambulances, Universal Air Evac has joined the International Assistance Group as an Accredited Service Provider. We are delighted to have this additional capacity in our network as tourism and business travel returns to South Africa and neighbouring countries.

 

Universal Air Evac places great emphasis on safety and quality. Apart from the International Assistance Group’s ISO 9001 vetting process, they are also an accredited provider of EURAMI. Additionally, the organization is under the expert medical supervision of Dr. Glenn Staples, who is well-known in the assistance industry and within the IAG community.

 

Permanently configured for adult and paediatric ICU cases and with a 2000 nautical mile range, each Learjet 35 can undertake no-stop/one-step missions encompassing southern and central Africa, with longer-range cases into North Africa and Europe within realistic scope.

 

To ensure quick, regular, efficient and safe aircraft maintenance, Universal Air Evac is proud to be part of Africa’s largest general aviation company, National Airways Corporation ( NAC), South Africa offers some excellent medical facilities, and these air ambulances will help to connect a large area with very high standards of care.

Albanian Intercare Services steps up to Assistance Partner as inbound tourism soars

Our former correspondent, Albanian Intercare Services (AIS), has successfully applied to become our Assistance Partner. Formerly correspondent and the hosts of our first EduTour in October 2022, which was a resounding success and set the benchmark for those to follow, we are delighted that they have undertaken another step to advance their valued relationship within the International Assistance Group.

 

AIS is a full-range assistance provider covering medical cases, telemedicine, roadside, third-party administration, security, and legal services. Their capability to respond to large-scale situations was recognised in 2019 with a Certificate of Gratitude from Albania’s Emergency Center Office for their help during the Earthquakes that year.

 

We are firmly committed to being the leading assistance company serving the West Balkans’ increasing volume of inbound travellers,’ stated Margarit Dado, AIS’ General Manager & CEO. He added: ‘Our collaboration with IAG partners at a higher level will result in improved quality and a push for local providers to strive for international standards.’

  

Growth in inbound tourism has been remarkable. Between January and September 2023, 8.3 million inbound visitors were recorded. In 2013, the complete year saw 3.4 million, according to the Albanian authorities.

  

With such rapid growth, infrastructure faces challenges. AIS will provide a valuable resource throughout the assistance case life cycle, including directional care, arranging primary healthcare doctors through to case monitoring, and keeping a careful eye on costs.

  

Founded in 2017, AIS has a solid reputation in the assistance industry, extending to Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Bosnia Herzegovina.

Africa’s Renowned AMREF Flying Doctors are now our Assistance Partner in Kenya and surrounding countries

Paris, France, 1 February 2024  – We are delighted to welcome AMREF to Assistance Partner status within the International Assistance Group.

Having been an Accredited Service Provider within the group since January 2015 for air ambulance services, they now provide the full range of assistance services that meet the selection criteria for our Assistance Partner status.

From their base in Kenya, their Assistance Partner status for all inbound travel will also cover Burundi, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. They are also able to assist in the Central African Republic and Djibouti when possible.

‘Having served so many IAG Partners over a long period of time with our air ambulance services, we are extremely pleased that we can now formally offer a wider range of medical assistance services over such a large area’, stated Jane Munyua, AMREF Flying Doctors’ Medical Assistance Manager.

Renowned for its air ambulance capabilities for over 66 years, AMREF’s in-depth and on-the-ground experience will now provide partners of the International Assistance Group with additional services such as the

  • guarantee of hospital payments and related costs
  • follow up on medical reports
  • arrangement of flight tickets and hotel accommodation for patients and their next of kin
  • ground transfers by taxi
  • help with lost or stolen documentation and luggage
  • emergency cash advances
  • repatriation of mortal remains and funeral assistance
  • house calls for bedside assessments
  • medicine dispatch
  • homecare assistance

In addition, they also provide medical escorts on commercial flights within the African region and to the rest of the world.

AMREF Flying Doctors is a commercial entity that supports the more significant work of Amref Health Africa, a non-governmental health organisation employing over 1500 people within 100 projects in poor or marginalised populations throughout Eastern Africa.

With the future development of healthcare professionals and managers critical to the region, Amref Health Africa has established its own International University offering Certificate and Diploma Courses and undergraduate and Postgraduate degree courses.

Twice winners of the prestigious ITIJ Air Ambulance Provider of the Year Award, AMREF Flying Doctors is accredited by EURAMI for Long-range / Intercontinental Fixed Wing Air Ambulance, Regional Fixed Wing Air Ambulance and Commercial Airline Medical Escort. This includes Medical Endorsement as an adult critical care provider.