Conflict, war and medicine (catch all).
Moderator at work
I have merged a small number of threads into one, retitling it 'Conflict, war and medicene' (catch all).
The old threads were: "The Medical Role In Army Stability Operations": COL Neel, Military Medicine
and 'Military Medical Assets as Counterinsurgency Force Multipliers: A Call to Action'.(ends)
I know there are few threads on medical matters, including RFIs, but there appears to be no thread on the developments made in recent wars on frontline medical care. IIRC posts exist about the changes in training combat troops on initial care, by JMA and others.
This thread thought was prompted by watching a BBC 2 TV documentary 'Frontline Medicine':
Quote:
Michael Mosley travels from the frontline of war to the frontline of research to uncover the medical breakthroughs that are coming out of current conflicts.
Part One (today):
Quote:
the medical advances driven by the conflict in Afghanistan
and Part Two (next week):
Quote:
how medicine and technology can help to rebuild shattered lives.
Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b017ld7n
Yes, I know BBC TV is often not available beyond the UK, but I know some here can find a way!
A summary of the first part:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15771688
UK Defence Medical Services website:http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/MicroSite/DMS/
BBC summary on:
Quote:
Clinical trials are under way in the UK of new blood transfusion procedures for patients with traumatic injuries
Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15741800
Note the hospital at Camp Bastion was shown to be a multi-national facility, with US, UK, Danish and New Zealand flags.
"The Medical Role In Army Stability Operations": COL Neel, Military Medicine (1967)
I had wanted to put together a small article for SWJ on the topic but quickly realized that much of what I know from my civilian experience is not helpful in understanding what I am reading. I thought instead to post various things that I've found, in hopes that it might be of use to somebody.
It is also interesting to note that modernization theory rears its head again and again. From the Neel paper (Military Medicine-August 1967:605-608):
Quote:
"Most emerging nations share the fundamental problem of a significant degree of medical deprivation. The modernization process of each such nation can be markedly inhibited by its health deficiencies. An essential objective, then, is to increase the level of medical self-sufficiency in emerging nations."
The following on experiences in distance learning in Afghanistan is a bit sobering, and yet, might prove useful in the current context if approached in the correct way:
Quote:
I worked on a UNESCO project for four months in Afghanistan in 1977 to build an educational radio system. However, the President of Afghanistan at the time wanted a news television station instead, which was built by Japanese loan money, so the education radio network never got built. Within days of the TV station opening, the Soviet Union invaded and they took over the TV network."
http://www.tonybates.ca/2011/01/11/d...in-afghanistan
The reason I posted the above in this starter thread is that I am interested in distance medical education and curriculum development. Such tools may not work in all settings, but it is nice to have a variety of tools to use if needed:
Quote:
"TUSK is being used as a platform for curriculum co-development and global sharing across institutions. An export-import tool allows easy movement of content across institutions."
http://www.ucel.ad.uk/oer12/abstracts/326.html
Schools in Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and India use such tools already, and other African countries are to follow according to the above link.
And there is the Aga Khan network and cell phone distance education curriculum in a variety of places, including Afghanistan. I found a program on oral radio education in Somalia:
Quote:
"We use local stories, poems, and music. While it essentially provides reading and math instruction, lessons also address drought, health, malaria prevention, water filtration, and conflict resolution. Parents find this extremely useful. Many adults are listening, and that wasn't anticipated."
http://www.edc.org/newsroom/articles/teaching_radio
I am surprised how many distance medical education tools are already available online, including medical "flashcards" in a variety of Afghan languages. I think this is key. There is much already available, online, open source, and using host nation infrastructures.
First Ask, First Do No Harm, would be my motto.
I have more papers in this area that I've dug up and will post accordingly.
Update: How all of this connects up with "vital" security interests--whatever those are--I really have no idea. But if people in charge think medical operations are useful, it's useful to think about what might be sustainable, less intrusive, and less expensive. Training the medical trainers and all that....
Speaking as one who foolishly reported a couple of such episodes...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
ganulv
I would feel remiss if I did not mention that this sort of thing comes in
an American flavor that most of us are unaware of.
Only to have the Health Insurance bureaucracy come down on me like a ton of bricks, in essence telling me to sue, bring criminal charges or shut up in order for them to justify their over priced premiums...
Calling the Guvmint's Fraud Waste and Abuse hotline resulted in more of the same. No one flat said "we know and we like it that way..." but it was rather apparent that was the attitude.
One complaint was over an orthotic brace for my wife, an item that can be purchased for about $50.00 in most Medical Supply Stores or on the internet-- we paid about $85, the insurance company over $300... :rolleyes:
Hanlon's razor, "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity" doesn't apply -- the health care industry isn't stupid and, while not truly malicious, they sure aren't straight arrows...