Motsoaledi’s quick action saves passenger in mid-flight medical emergency

Cape Town – Minister of Home Affairs, Aaron Motsoaledi, a medical doctor by profession, is being praised for his quick action in saving a man who experienced a low blood sugar emergency on a FlySafair flight from East London to Johannesburg on Monday.

According to Times Live, hearing commotion at the back of the plane, Motsoaledi offered his medical assistance when the airline staff struggled to provide the necessary sugar solution.

Despite initial doubts from the staff, Motsoaledi used his clinical knowledge to administer glucose powder to the unconscious man, which was quickly absorbed.

“I was sleeping in front and heard a commotion at the back. When I woke up I found someone who had low blood sugar and they struggled to give him a sugar solution. The airline staff were looking for someone to attend to the emergency and I told them I’m a doctor,” Motsoaledi told TimesLIVE.

[Listen] Minister of @HomeAffairsSA, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi receives praises for saving a man who fell unconscious while suffering from low blood sugar… pic.twitter.com/ZbG3mz6oj4

— South African Government (@GovernmentZA) August 15, 2023

“They told me to produce papers but I’m no longer practising. Someone on the airline vouched for me and said I was a minister and doctor. The staff members were very doubtful.

“I rubbed the glucose powder on the tongue and it was immediately absorbed. That’s the training from back when there was no technical training, you relied on clinical acumen and judgment. There’s no equipment on the plane. You rely on what you know,” the report quoted Motsoaledi as saying.

He said that when the body undergoes low blood sugar, it becomes depleted of energy, similar to a car running out of fuel.

“He was disorientated for most of the time. His wife told me she would take him to hospital. When I went to say goodbye he was still disorientated,” said Motsoaledi.