Emergency Surgery Workshop, Davos 10 December 2011

Emergency Surgery during Disaster Relief Activities - Surgery under Critical Environmental Conditions

Background

Recent catastrophes including the Wenchuan earthquake in May 2008, the Haiti Earthquake in January 2010, and the recent earthquake in Japan have caused extremely high numbers in casualties and called for greater attention to be given to the role of medical teams providing emergency surgery. Many of those rescued have life-threatening injuries that require emergency surgery, a great number of which are severe limb injuries.

The international response to these disasters has at times revealed highly questionable practices in the delivery of emergency medical humanitarian assistance, contrasting with a wider move in recent years to improve humanitarian intervention standards. Specific concerns centre on clinical competency, record keeping and follow up steps, but also on accountability, quality control, coordination and reporting.

Outcome Goals

• Appropriate decision making under extreme conditions
• Guidelines for emergency surgery
• Course Modules

Please click here for more information and programme of events