Guinea: Army Medical Corps Boosts Capacity to Treat Injured

Guinea: Army Medical Corps Boosts Capacity to Treat the Injured

Geneva/Conakry (ICRC) – Some 50 military doctors and nurses have just completed war-surgery training organized by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for the army medical corps. The training took place at the army's surgical clinic in Camp Samory Touré in Conakry from 29 April to 16 May.

The participants work in military medical facilities in the capital and elsewhere in the country. In addition to providing the training in Conakry for the third consecutive year, the ICRC gave medicines and medical supplies to the army medical corps.

"The aim is to expand the capability of army medical services to treat people injured by firearms, especially in the event of a mass influx," said Dr Fabrice Jamet, an ICRC doctor and trainer. "The participants were instructed in war-surgery techniques and in emergency-room casualty management. Their training was completed by a practical exercise based on Conakry army surgical clinic contingency plans."

Dr Koumbassa Mohamed Lamine, a doctor at Conakry's military hospital, said that "the training provided an opportunity to understand in practical terms the various steps involved in performing war surgery on injured patients."

The ICRC, which has been working in Guinea since 1990, opened a delegation in the country in 2001. From its delegation in Conakry and a sub-delegation in N'Zérékoré the ICRC strives to protect and assist victims of armed violence. In particular, it visits people detained in connection with the violence, and maintains a dialogue with the detaining authorities with a view to improving conditions of detention and the treatment detainees receive. In addition, the ICRC promotes international humanitarian law among various publics. It also cooperates closely with the Red Cross Society of Guinea with the aim of making the society better able to respond to emergencies.

ENDS

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