Conflict, war and medicine (catch all).

[Madhu]

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):

"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:

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:

"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:

"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....