Israeli Medical Aid Group Trains South Sudanese First Responders Without Equipment
Translated & summarized from Davar by baba
Magen David Adom trained first aid instructors in South Sudan to provide care under difficult conditions with limited equipment. The initiative, a collaboration with the Israeli embassy and the Red Cross, focused on practical skills using local materials and developing relevant emergency scenarios. This effort aims to enhance local medical response capabilities in South Sudan, reinforcing bilateral ties between the nations.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Magen David Adom trained South Sudanese first aid instructors to provide care in challenging conditions without standard medical equipment.
- The training was a joint effort involving the Israeli Embassy, MASHAV, and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
- Participants learned to use readily available materials like clothing and blankets for bandages and splints.
- The program emphasized developing simulation scenarios relevant to South Sudan's local emergencies.
- Ambassador Gershon Kedem highlighted the training's role in strengthening bilateral relations between Israel and South Sudan.
- MDA Director-General Eli Bin noted the initiative reflects MDA's commitment to sharing life-saving expertise globally.
Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel's national emergency medical service, has trained first aid instructors in South Sudan to provide medical care in challenging field conditions, even without standard medical equipment. The training was conducted as part of a collaboration between MDA, the Israeli Embassy in South Sudan, headed by Ambassador Gershon Kedem, the Israeli Agency for International Development Cooperation (MASHAV) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
During the training, Chaim Rafalovsky, MDA's Director of Disaster Preparedness, led a workshop for South Sudanese Red Cross first aid instructors. The workshop focused on providing medical treatment with severe equipment shortages and developing simulation scenarios tailored to the local reality. Participants practiced stopping bleeding and applying bandages and splints using readily available materials such as shirts, old sheets, towels, blankets, and sticks.
Uri Shaham, Director of the Red Cross Department at MDA, explained that South Sudan's difficult terrain and lack of standard medical equipment complicate treatment, especially in the critical minutes following an injury. He noted that due to evacuation difficulties, first responders often need to provide prolonged care without additional medical support, sometimes acting as the sole caregivers for a day or two until a patient can be moved to a hospital.
Ambassador Gershon Kedem stated that this training complements previous medical aid activities by MASHAV in South Sudan, including the establishment of a trauma center at the Juba University Hospital. He emphasized that South Sudan is a good friend of Israel and that such professional capacity-building contributes to bilateral relations. MDA Director-General Eli Bin praised the cooperation, highlighting MDA's commitment to sharing life-saving knowledge and providing creative solutions in complex environments, thereby strengthening medical systems globally.
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