FARAH, Afghanistan – Members of Forward Operating Base Farah’s Forward Surgical Team and Provincial Reconstruction Team held a workshop for local Afghan medical providers to sharpen their skills in treating bone fractures and other injuries here, today.
The goal of the workshop was to enhance the relationship between ISAF medical providers and Afghan medical providers as well as providing some technical training on how to treat broken bones, said U.S. Army Maj. Leah Triolo, an orthopedic surgeon with the 67th Forward Surgical Team (Airborne).
Twelve Afghan medical providers from nearby Farah City Hospital attended the training. Among them were males and females; doctors, surgeons and midwives. According to Dr. Manan Rashidi, chief surgeon at Farah City Hospital, the training and relationship building were worthwhile and will have positive, strategic effects for healthcare in Farah province.
“This day was helpful for everyone. It was one of the first times that we have done training with the FOB,” said Rashidi. “Now in emergencies for broken bones and other injuries, we can treat people at Farah Hospital and do not have to send them to the military base.”
Participants in the workshop heard a briefing covering the history and basics of orthopedics from Triolo before getting to the hands-on laboratory portion of the event.
With FST and PRT Farah members serving as ‘victims’ with injured limbs, the Afghan medical professionals went to work treating the fractures, practicing different types of splints and preparing to apply casts.
In addition to learning techniques at the workshop, the Afghan doctors promised to take these new techniques back to their offices and hospitals to train their own medical staffs.
“I treat two or three patients [each] week. The instruction renewed my memory about helping people recover from broken arms and legs. I will tell my students about this instruction and teach them what I learned today,” said Dr. Abdul Sadibg, a doctor at Farah City’s Afghan National Police headquarters building.
After the workshop was complete, it was evident that both the teacher and student had learned plenty from one another.
“The intent was to share different points of view and to develop a common ground and just create a forum for the exchange of information. Judging by what we saw today and the conversations we had with the Afghan doctors, I think we succeeded,” said Triolo.