By Sgt. Katryn McCalment
Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Afghanistan Public Affairs
MAZAR-E SHARIF, Afghanistan – The Afghan Ministry of Public Health and Special Operations Task Force – East hosted the first-ever multi-provincial medical seminar for representatives from nine northern and eastern provinces in Mazar-e Sharif, Balkh province, Feb. 20-24.
The event brought together nearly 200 doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics and local villagers to take part in a wide variety of workshops on valuable medical techniques and procedures. On the instructor side, medical professionals from Hungary, Sweden, Afghanistan and numerous U.S. Army units came together to cover as wide a variety of subjects as possible.
“This is just the beginning,” said Mirwais Rabeh, health director for Balkh province, during his opening remarks. “As you can see, with the support of the Afghan government and international forces, we have the power to improve our country.”
“All of us share common bonding characteristics,” said Lt. Col. Dan Godbee, battalion surgeon for Special Operations Task Force – East and spokesman for the contributing international medical personnel. “Please let our overarching love of our patients be the binding and guiding philosophy of our efforts this week.”
The participants were broken into four classrooms: licensed doctors, midwives and nurses, paramilitary medics and untrained, uncertified local villagers.
“It was needed for cultural sensitivities to separate the women into their own group,” said John [name has been changed for security], a U.S. Special Forces medic from Special Operations Task Force – East, who also helped organize the event on the ground. “It ended up being very efficient for a conference of this size, and succeeded in giving the individual groups targeted training.”
Each group attended two classes a day, ranging from physical therapy to preventive medicine, geared toward the level of medical knowledge the participants had.
Basic wound care
“I think the most progress was made with the uncertified participants,” said John.
The Ministry of Public Health intentionally invited local villagers from rural districts, who lack large hospitals or easily reachable clinics, yet come from relatively secure areas. This enables smaller villages to have on hand medical capabilities without having to travel miles to the nearest clinic.
“Its just the basics,” said an U.S. Army captain teaching how to splint a broken ankle.
Focusing on less advanced subjects, the untrained participants received classes on trauma and wound care, emergency medicine, and basic medications.
They were also given care packages containing basic diagnostic equipment, three months worth of antibiotics and pain medications, bandages and splints to take back to their villages.
“As these conferences progress, the intent is to get these villagers to two of these conferences and then to a nurses certification course to significantly help these smaller communities,” said John.
Women get an equal place
“Each one of you is extremely important in your province,” said Friba Majeed, director of women’s affairs in Balkh province and guest speaker at the seminar. “I am very proud of you for coming. If just one person gets help from you, you are helping the entire community.”
More than 50 women participated in the seminar, traveling up to eight hours to attend.
Sideka, a midwife for 24 years and currently a reproductive officer for a non-governmental organization in Takhar province, said she was excited and honored to attend at the Ministry of Public Health’s invitation.
“When I was notified about the conference, I wanted to go back to my province and teach what I’ve learned to others.”
Instructing the women’s course, Command Sgt. Maj. Michelle Fournier, a medical mentor for Afghan nurses with 404th Civil Affairs Battalion, and Afghan doctor Aisha Daley, who works as an OB/GYN at the Korean Hospital on Bagram Air Field, taught classes on delivery and post-delivery complications, pediatric medicine, gynecology and nursing care.
“The midwives have a very strong education on delivery. It’s the after-delivery hazards that were a weak point and what was focused on,” said Fournier.
During the class, the women asked a constant stream of questions about breeched births, post-birth hemorrhages, childcare and even breast exams.
“Most of these women have never been taught how to do a breast exam,” said Daley. “Even the doctors, they ask me to show them again.”
In addition to the female specific courses, the midwives and nurses also received classes on dentistry, nutrition, preventative and emergency medicine.
“I think initially the women weren’t interested in learning things that didn’t revolve around babies,” said 1st Lt. Jennifer Arnold, a guest lecturer. “But, by the end, I think they understood how everything correlates to the other – that nutrition and emergency medicine can come in handy when patients bring their children to them feeling sick or with a broken arm.”
Majeed also spoke about the future of women’s medicine in Afghanistan.
“At each of the international conferences, women’s rights are in the forefront of the discussion,” said the provincial director. “We are working to increase rights for women, and you are the tool. Most women don’t have the access or the right to go to a clinic. You can go to them and teach them so that they don’t have to go through the process [childbearing] alone.”
Further progress ahead
As with every beginning step, there is potential for improvement.
“I would have liked more classes specific to my specialty,” said an Afghan surgeon.
“Next time we will break the doctors into smaller groups based on their areas of interest,” said John, who also brought together the guest lecturers, “To ensure that the advanced participants have a more detailed learning experience.”
During the closing ceremony, Rabeh announced that plans to hold a medical seminar in Mazar-e Sharif every quarter are underway.
“We must continue this education,” he said. “To add knowledge to those already experts in their fields and to reach as far as we can into the areas without medical support.”
Speakers during the closing ceremony included Rabeh, Lt. Col. Dan Godbee and Sideka, the reproductive officer.
“We are now united,” she said, her hands clasped above her head. “We are united as doctors, and we are united for Afghanistan.”
The five-day seminar ended with health directors from the separate provinces awarding certificates of training to the participants from their region.
“I am very happy with the accomplishments of this seminar,” said Rabeh. “Each one after this will be even better.”
The 1st Company, 5th Commando Kandak, provided security for the event without incident.
| Date Taken: |
02.24.2011 |
| Date Posted: |
02.27.2011 23:14 |
| Story ID: |
66181 |
| Location: |
MAZAR-E-SHARIF, AF |
| Web Views: |
78 |
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