BAGHDAD, April 5, 2019 —
Millions of people are currently gathered in Baghdad for the Shiite pilgrimage of Al Kadhimiya, one of the most important in the region. This event is a real challenge for the 6th Iraqi Army Division in charge of security in the capital. It also represents a challenge for military medical auxiliaries.
For Oscar, Chief Medical Officer of Task Force Monsabert, this event is an opportunity to train military Iraqi health personnel for deployment in the field. With his French medical team, Oscar organized a specific training program that took place from March 17 to 19.
The first day was devoted to upgrading Iraqi ambulances. The vehicles were equipped according to simple standards, with equipment adapted for first aid and combat.
For the second day, Oscar had created three protocols for the care of the war wounded according to the material resources available to the Iraqis. The French doctor also detailed for them eight key situations to react to all circumstances, including injured in respiratory distress, hemorrhagic shock or unconscious with head trauma.
Based on his experience as an emergency doctor with the Paris Fire Brigade, Oscar had put in place realistic exercises that Iraqis could face during the pilgrimage. On the agenda: van explosion with pilgrims, check-point attack by terrorists or mortar attack on a fortified position.
Trainees were able to put into practice these newly acquired procedures and protocols, from on-site management to transportation to the treatment center.
As a result, the last [training] day showed that the Iraqi combat experience, reinforced by the wise advice of French soldiers, is producing very good results.
“The substantive work of TF Monsabert’s previous mandates has trained more than 600 soldiers in combat rescue and empowered the 6th Iraqi Army Division in terms of training. It now has its own monitors. I have therefore chosen to refocus our consulting mission on emergencies and war medicine. The objective is to teach them how to save the lives of our wounded Iraqi comrades on the battlefield,” explains Chief Medical Officer Oscar.
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Editor’s Note:
This is a translated copy and the original French can be found: https://www.defense.gouv.fr/operations/chammal/actualites/chammal-la-task-force-monsabert-forme-les-auxiliaires-sanitaires-irakiens
