The formation and development of air ambulance in the USSR in the 1920-1930s

An analysis of the primary sources devoted to the formation of air ambulance in the USSR in the 1920-the 1930s revealed several common patterns with world experience in the development of evacuation air vehicles. At the same time, domestic specialists found and implemented mostly original solutions to the multifaceted problem of accelerating the delivery of people in need from remote areas to specialized medical institutions. Practical experience of the 1920s testified to the feasibility of creating unique designs of ambulance aircraft. In a country with reviving aviation industry and a young engineering and technical staff, the implementation of such a difficult task was made possible thanks to the active support and work of public organizations and government agencies. A fundamentally new solution in world medical practice of that time was the creation in the USSR of a network of ambulance stations. The delivery by airplanes to remote areas of the country of medical workers who performed various therapeutic, diagnostic, preventive, and anti - epidemic tasks there significantly increased the quality of medical care provided to the population.

staged treatment, aviation evacuation, ambulance, Red Cross, ambulance stations, medical and anti - epidemic work, rescue operations