Serving low-resource hospitals in the DRC
This year, we were contacted by a doctor from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to set up a Friends of David Nott Foundation (FDNF) society – our very first FDNF in Africa. In a bid to support the development of African doctors in hospitals with poor resources, we provided funding for teaching tools used to upskill medical professionals in deep DRC territory.
In June 2023, a WHO report found that the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the DRC has more than doubled to 6.3 million, since the end of 2022. The crisis has emerged as decades of conflict and food insecurity soars in the DRC, made worse by extreme flooding and disease outbreaks throughout the Ituri and North Kivu Provinces.
Chris Kitumaini, a medical doctor and President of our FDNF in the DRC, arranged a training course for doctors at the Murhesa Medical Center, a modest hospital with very limited resources, medical equipment and staff. He shared:
“We travelled to Bukavu, in the South-Kivu Province in the DRC, and then went onto Kabare’s deep territory to get to the Murhesa Medical Center. We picked this location to train in because it is a hospital with very low income. Resources are so limited there."
"In the operating rooms, there is nothing. Women are giving birth on wooden tables. The doctors there are working with the smallest amount of materials, no beds, no anaesthesia machines. Nothing but the doctors and medical assistants."
Basic medical skills
The surgical teaching team, some of whom had travelled from Bordeaux, taught a range of basic medical and surgical skills to a group of 20 doctors from different territories. Some had travelled from small villages to get to the training in Murhesa Medical Center.
Four courses were delivered during two intensive days of training, using surgical toolkits, mannikins and anaesthesia tools funded by us. Dr Raïssa Kizungu, a cardiologist from Bordeaux, led the management of cardiovascular pathologies in the context of war and environments with limited resources. The team used mannikins to teach the group cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and essential tools for resuscitation to preserve life in resource-limited settings. Dr Elie Bugashane, a general surgeon, led the management of battlefield wounds and suture techniques in resource-limited environments. Finally, Dr Charles Kachungunu led the management of head trauma and how to deliver excellent nursing care.
During other practical sessions, the surgeons learned how to do a craniotomy to stop serious bleeding, as well as suture techniques to manage wounds in war and low-resource contexts.
A thirst to learn
“Our first workshop, funded by the David Nott Foundation, was a success. We chose doctors and medical professionals who really needed training. It was a big moment for us.
We now want to focus on training in other places that need us the most – villages deep in the Congo forest. Learning simple procedures, like how to secure broken limbs, could really help people that cannot move to other hospital easily.”
We remain committed to supporting medical professionals living and working in countries impacted by war and disaster.
24 doctors trained during 1st UK course with Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh
For the first time in partnership with Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd), we delivered a Hostile Environment Surgical Training UK (HEST-UK) course to equip 24 surgeons from across the globe with vital skills needed to save lives in conflict and disaster zones.
Aimed at medical professionals who work in, or are planning to travel to, conflict and catastrophe zones around the world, our HEST-UK course brought together surgeons from across the globe, including Australia, Poland, Finland, Denmark, Libya and six from Ukraine, for a transformative week of intensive training.
This marks the beginning of our brand-new partnership with RCSEd, joining forces to upskill humanitarian surgeons and frontline trainers in the making. Our course combined trauma case presentations taken straight from war zones like in Syria, our cutting-edge teaching models designed especially for our use, and human cadavers.
Dr Igor Belkin, HEST-UK participant and surgeon from Ukraine who we sponsored to join our training, said:
“The course was great! All frontline methods were described in detail in theory, and then with the help of DNF trainers, we then worked on and learned more about using cadavers.
These skills are always useful, especially in a country that is at war. After completing another DNF course in Zaporizhizhia in February 2023, I used many learnings in field surgery. Now in Edinburgh, I got even more practice with cadavers.”
Dr Senka Stojanovic, HEST-UK participant and general surgeon from Poland, said:
"Now, possibly more than ever during our lifetimes, the world is fraught with problems of growing divisions and inequality, which among other things impacts access to quality healthcare, affecting not only the current generation, but future ones as well.
I felt incredibly fortunate and grateful for the opportunity to learn first-hand from some of the leading experts in the field.
"The wealth of experience and practical tips brought by the faculty was unmatched and cannot be found in textbooks or surgical atlases."
I highly recommend this unique course to any surgeons who plan to or already work in humanitarian settings around the globe, but who need to build on their confidence and skill to provide surgical care outside of their surgical specialties."
Mariette Naud-Betteridge, Director of Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement at RCSEd, said:
“Witnessing the course first-hand revealed the extensive practice and diverse disciplines required to deliver surgical care in conflict zones. Not only did the course’s structure and the dedication of David and his faculty bring challenging cases to life, the delegates' intense focus and eagerness to learn emphasised the course’s relevance and necessity.
Collaboration between the David Nott Foundation and RCSEd demonstrates our shared commitment to equipping medical professionals with the critical skills and confidence needed to save lives in the most demanding situations. Special thanks also to all who supported the course, including sponsors B. Braun, Essity, and Stryker. RCSEd look forward to welcoming back the DNF team and a new set of delegates in December for the next HEST-UK Course.”
As fighting intensifies across Ukraine, Palestine, Sudan and beyond, there has never been a greater need for skilled, humanitarian surgeons around the world. That’s why our programme of bespoke training courses are so vital and we will continue to grow our international network of war doctors.
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Friends of David Nott Foundation Conference - leaders of tomorrow
This month, we held our third Friends of David Nott Foundation (FDNF) conference, hosted this year by our FDNF at the University of Cambridge in the Clinical School of Medicine. This event brought together 45 dedicated FDNF members from universities across the UK, including Dundee, Leicester, Nottingham, Manchester, Glasgow,Cork, Bristol, and Cardiff, alongside international attendees from the Czech Republic.
Our Friends of David Nott Foundation societies are made up of medical students who wish to embark on a humanitarian career. By bringing them together for teaching and connection with our trainers, our goal is to nourish the next generation of humanitarian surgeons.
The conference featured four specialised workshops led by our faculty members, focusing on vascular surgery, orthopaedics, paediatrics, and general trauma. These sessions provided students with hands-on surgical experience and insights into the challenging yet rewarding field of humanitarian medicine.
Faculty trainer Dr Mahmoud Hariri, a surgeon who met our Co-Founder David Nott in underground hospitals in Syria, led our final lecture. He shared his experiences from Syria and the difficulties of being a surgeon under unimaginable pressure.
“One of the hospitals I worked in was in a cave in a mountain. There are many hospitals like this in Syria. Some are underground or in a gym. Most of our lives at that time (during the siege), were underground."
"Being a war surgeon is not a funny thing, it is difficult. I have experienced soldiers placing bets on what they could hit each day.” - Dr Mahmoud Hariri, faculty trainer
Our Co-Founder Elly Nott opened the event with an inspiring address, expressing her excitement for this annual gathering and highlighting the critical role it plays in fostering the next generation of humanitarian healthcare professionals.
"Our FDNF conference is a highlight of my year. It’s a joy to meet the next generation of humanitarians and see how enthusiastic they are to use their skills to make the world a better place.” Elly Nott, Co-Founder
Through our FDNFs, students contribute significantly to our work by raising awareness, fundraising for missions, and volunteering on our Hostile Environment Surgical Training (HEST) courses offered in the UK.
They are the future of this world, and now more than ever, we need people who want to help and make a difference.
This conference not only reinforced the commitment of current FDNFs but also inspired new additions to engage deeply our mission in helping to ensure safe surgical skills are available to all.
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“If this training can work in Gaza, it can work anywhere else.”
Dr Israar Ul-Haq joined our HEST-UK (Hostile Environment Surgical Training-UK) course in Bolton to improve his trauma surgery skills before entering the heart of Palestine’s crisis – the Gaza Strip.
Dr Israar Ul-Haq is a doctor with a primary focus on urgent and pre-hospital care. Volunteering his expertise, Dr Ul-Haq joined two separate missions to Gaza, serving in Khan Younis and Deir al Balah.
“As I entered Gaza I felt a mix of emotions—eager to employ the skills I learned from HEST and help those in need, yet wary of the drones I can hear as soon as I entered.”
With minimal resources and an overwhelming patient load, ranging from 500 to 1000 individuals daily according to Dr Ul-Haq, the medical staff faced immense challenges. The injuries they treated ranged from blast injuries and crush wounds, to traumatic amputations and fatal head injuries, or gun shot and sniper wounds. Techniques learned during the HEST course, such as medical triage or procedures for getting access to the chest quickly, such as thoracotomies, were immediately put into action.
It impacted every aspect of my work in Gaza
Dr Ul-Haq shared: “The course impacted every aspect of my work in Gaza, such as understanding the local environment and the types of injuries we encountered. Whether it was performing chest drains, managing blast injuries, conducting debridement, or treating burns, the training equipped me with the necessary skills I needed.
The lectures on burns were very useful, they directly influenced our treatment protocols. Techniques like thoracotomy and bleeding control learned during the course became standard procedures in our daily practice. The emphasis on conducting primary and secondary surveys, along with fast scanning helped us to quickly assess and address critical issues in a high-pressure setting."
Patients that stay with us
“One patient's case is stuck in my head. He presented with a shrapnel injury to his back, which had penetrated his thorax. While we stabilised him initially, signs of Beck's triad (low blood pressure, distended neck veins, and distant or muffled heart sounds) alerted us to a possible cardiac tamponade (a serious condition where fluid builds up around the heart) - I had learned to identify this issue through fast scanning during the course. We rushed him to the operating theatre. Employing techniques like the clamp shell procedure, we successfully removed the bleeding around his heart, stabilising him.”
“We had a four-year-old brought into the hospital with a pneumothorax, severe head injuries, and burns. We immediately admitted the child to the ICU. We performed a chest drain to treat the pneumothorax and employing rapid sequence induction (a method to quickly administer anaesthesia and secure the airway) to stabilise the child's condition. We debrided the wounds at the back and used fluid therapy to manage shock and maintain stability.”
Our course is not just about building medical skills, it's about cultivating problem-solving abilities in the most challenging of circumstances. In environments where resources, staffing, and traumas are at their peak, the course empowers doctors to think laterally and use whatever limited resources they have. From using different pain management drugs to conducting fast scans to evaluate a patient's condition rapidly, every aspect of the training is geared towards equipping doctors with the tools they need to save lives, no matter where they are.
“Upon arrival, another patient had no bleeding or shrapnel injuries, but vitals would not stabilise. drawing on what we learned from the HEST course, we identified a left-sided pneumothorax. Despite initial stabilization efforts, the patient's vital signs remained unstable,” shared Dr Ul-Haq. “I often used the fast-scanning technique taught in the course. ; I detected an additional right-sided pneumothorax. Without hesitation, I proceeded to insert a chest tube, a procedure ingrained in our training. Had we delayed any longer, the outcome could have been disastrous.”
“Gaza is facing unimaginable suffering, and HEST was incredibly helpful there. If it can work in Gaza, it can work anywhere else too.”
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The anaesthetist in a war zone
It takes a team to save a life in a war zone. Recognising the vital need for anaesthetists in conflict, we developed a bespoke anaesthesia course, to prepare anaesthetists for working in war hospitals. One of our experienced trainers, Dr Hussein Nagi, recently taught anaesthetists from Kuwait who are heading to Palestine.
Managing pain in different ways
“Treatment and anaesthesia do not end in the operative theatre. In a war zone, you could have a whole ward of people with post-operative pain, for example after amputations. Anaesthetists must do what they can with what they have to continue their care," shared Dr Nagi in Kuwait.
"A colleague once shared that a boy was screaming in the night with phantom limb pain after getting an amputation, he was shouting ‘my toe is hurting’. His toes were not there.
They found a stock of epidural kits in their hospital (for maternal care) and gave it to him through a catheter – the boy was almost pain free. You can resolve severe pain, by nerve blocking, with a range of drugs. You just need to be able to adapt to your environment.”
Our course teachers share tips and tricks just like this, with the goal of making anaesthetists adaptable to the challenges of a conflict-affected environment.
The science behind war
A trainee from Kuwait, during our latest HEST-A course in the Middle East, shared: “The trainers were combining their war experience with theoretical teaching, which added a lot to the course – showing us what to expect.
There were three main sessions that I learned the most from. Damage control, the ballistics science behind bullets and bombs, and the chemical weapons session. They’re not taught during medical training so knowing more about them, how to deal with these situations, understanding the science to then anticipate what we may meet in A and E, was the highlight of the course.”
Triage is critical
“It was an impressive course. The most interesting part for me was the triage, and making decisions using the information we have learned over years in studies, but applying it to a conflict zone.
"You have to adjust and accommodate to different situations, especially areas where you don’t have all the resources."
Gaza today urgently needs resources, food, water, equipment and man power. From what we hear from doctors on the ground, medical resources are much needed. It is very desperate.”
We have trained over 80 surgeons and anaesthetist in the UK and Kuwait who have, or intend to, volunteer their skills in Palestine's frontline hospitals. We will continue to upskill doctors in support of the people of Gaza.
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Preparing 36 Kuwaiti doctors for surgery in Gaza
With support from the Foreign Common Development Office (FCDO) and Kuwaiti Red Crescent Society (KRCS), we upskilled 24 Kuwaiti surgeons and 12 anaesthetists who intend to volunteer as humanitarians in Gaza. This marks our first direct partnership with the UK government.
Faculty Lead: Dr Ammar Darwish. Surgical Faculty: Dr Mahmoud Hariri, Professor Steven Mahoney, Dr Saladin Sawan, Dr Juan Robinson. Anaesthesia Faculty: Professor Pete Mahoney, Dr Oliver Harrison and Dr Hussein Nagi.
Kuwait is home to over 4.2 million people. Sandwiched between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, Kuwait is a small but influential country in the Middle East. As the war continues to wage in Gaza, a number of Kuwaiti doctors have plans to volunteer their skills on the frontline. Upon invitation from the FCDO and KRCS, we were pleased to upskill 36 doctors and prepare them for complex trauma injuries.
Our Co-Founder, Elly Nott, said:
“Recognised by the UN as a Humanitarian Center and embodying the values of charity and humanity, Kuwait is a natural partner for the David Nott Foundation. During this mission, we trained 24 surgeons and 12 anaesthetists in partnership with the Kuwaiti Red Crescent Society and the British Embassy, Kuwait.
The doctors have been trained in surgical skills essential for saving life and limb and will contribute to relief campaigns and humanitarian initiatives in the region. There is sadly no end of need for their skills in the world at present and we look forward to further collaboration with our colleagues here in Kuwait for the benefit of those who suffer in conflict.”
The skills required by doctors in Gaza at this time extend far beyond surgery. Being calm in a crisis, able to adjust to the needs of the patient in front of you and adapt to the hospital’s resources – or lack of - are absolutely vital. Doctors and anaesthetists that rely on innovative surgical tools or drugs will only have so much impact in active war zones.
Consultant Anaesthetist and DNF Faculty Trainer, Professor Pete Mahoney, said:
“In conflict zones, there may not be reliable electricity, water or access to medical gases such as piped or cylinder oxygen. You need to be able to pivot and use something called ‘draw-over’ anaesthesia to deliver suitable medication. This is when the use of simple masks or a bag can be used to pull volatile agents (anaesthetic medications) into the patient’s body.
We also taught the Kuwaiti doctors how a simple anaesthesia machine can be constructed from components as they may need to build one in the field with whatever the hospital has. It is critical that humanitarian doctors are able to adapt.”
We know from our Faculty Lead in Palestine that doctors on the ground don’t always have the time or available tools to fix bones together with metal pins. To give doctors other options that require less equipment, we taught Kuwaiti doctors how to set bones with plaster casts, which can help breaks to heal in the absence of pins.
The British Ambassador to Kuwait, Mrs Belinda Lewis, said:
“The fact the UK government’s first partnership with the amazing David Nott Foundation took place in Kuwait is testament to the strong and productive relationship between our two countries. This combination of British and Kuwaiti expertise will undoubtedly support the medical response to the dreadful suffering in Gaza.
I am grateful for the assistance of a number of people in Kuwait who have helped me to bring in this expert team from the UK, and I would like to pay special thanks to Professor Ghassan Abu Sittar, veteran war surgeon and humanitarian, who first suggested this valuable partnership to me.”
President of the Kuwaiti Red Crescent Society and former Minister for Health in Kuwait, Dr Hilal Al Sayer, said:
"On behalf of the Kuwait Red Crescent Society, I extend my appreciation to the British Embassy for their facilitation of the training course throughout this process. I also extend our sincerest gratitude to the David Nott Foundation for their invaluable expertise. Their guidance has empowered our esteemed consultants with the skills needed to navigate the complexities of emergency medical care as volunteer medics in conflict zones whose dedication serves as a testament to the spirit of humanity that defines our National Society.
Last, but certainly not least, I extend my heartfelt thanks to the National Bank of Kuwait for their generous support, we are truly grateful for their partnership.
I am immensely proud of the collaboration that has characterized our time together and am confident that we will carry forward the lessons learned in our shared mission to serve humanity with compassion and expertise."
Until we can support and upskill doctors on the ground in Gaza, we will continue to do all we can from a distance. The delivery of our surgical and new anaesthesia courses to Kuwaiti doctors who intend to enter Palestine as humanitarian volunteers, forms part of our unwavering commitment to the ongoing crisis.
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“The patients. The families. They’re all in my head.”
Our Co-Founder David Nott recently travelled to Rafah, Gaza, to help treat the thousands suffering from war injuries, malnourishment, and everyday ailments that have progressed to life-threatening conditions because of delayed treatment. Here, David shares what he witnessed, what the urgent medical needs are on-the-ground, and how those he met are tattooed onto his mind.
After travelling from Cairo and getting closer to Gaza, it was quite a shocking experience. At the Rafah crossing, you could see miles worth of trucks in a queue trying to get in.
Driving through Gaza, it was like an enormous refugee camp with tents everywhere. Every single place that wasn't occupied by somebody had a tent on it. Most of the tents were so packed against each other it was difficult for people to walk.
"Thousands and thousands of people were in a small area. They had nowhere to go."
Treating those more likely to live
The hospital I was working in was called Al Najjar Hospital, the only semi-functioning hospital in Rafah. It was small, with a limited number of beds, but ended up housing thousands of people. Every corner was full. Patients were in the corridors, all over the wards, lying on the floor, five people where one might stand. There were people on the floor that were dying, some that had died - people crying out for help.
I had to step over people to get to patients. I had to make rapid decisions on whether or not they could be saved – decision-making techniques that we teach to those that attend our courses.
The hospital only had two operating theatres. There was no intensive care unit and no ventilators, so I had to decide which patients should be operated on with the best possible outcome. On ward rounds we reviewed those that had been treated, but many had infections because of limited sterile space or antibiotics.
18th century illnesses
"Because thousands of people have been compressed into small spaces, and many haven’t sought medical care for their everyday conditions, the clinical needs in Gaza today are astonishing."
It’s not just war wounds that doctors face – ruptured appendices, hernias, ulcers, gangrene. General surgery has been delayed for months on end and people are dying or losing limbs as a result of problems that could have been resolved quickly.
This is the reality of trauma in war – some traumas that were not traumas to begin with become life-threatening – racking up death tolls even further.
"Outside of war wounds, 21st century doctors are dealing with 18th century illnesses."
Children with chest infections were developing a condition called empyema - their infections had become so bad that their lungs were filling with pus. I’d never seen that before – it’s an 18th century condition that you would never see today.
Post-operative care felt impossible. Say you amputate somebody’s leg, there’s nowhere for them to go to recover safely. Tents aren’t sterile and it has been so cold, with the wind coming off the beach.
Calm amongst the chaos
Despite the chaos, Gazan doctors are truly outstanding. They were so warm and helpful. They were grateful that people were there to help, and together we did everything we possibly could.
This war zone is different to the others I’ve been in. The volume of people and the lack of basic medical or human resources made it incredibly challenging.
They urgently need field hospitals, more staff, a huge amount of medical resources. They need more doctors, nurses, rehabilitation services, physiotherapists. But not only that, they need a safe place for patients to go to recover after operations. Their medical aid needs are huge and doctors in the field need to be supported.
"Seeing Gaza reminds me of the vital importance of our foundation’s work. Training doctors, operating on patients in war zones, bearing witness to doctors’ needs on the ground, I’m more driven than ever to help the charity grow so we can reach even more people in need."
The patients, the families, they’re all in my head. They will always stay in my head.
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Bearing witness to the medical needs in Gaza
Our Medical Director Dr Ammar Darwish embarked on an operating surgical mission to Gaza to offer his trauma surgery skills to those most in need. As he crossed the border into the besieged territory, he faced trucks held up for miles, filled with much-needed aid.
“The needs in Gaza - it was hell on earth”
As Dr Darwish travelled deeper into Gaza, he observed the expanse of makeshift tents, shelters for internally displaced families. Some had no tents at all, resorting to crafting shelters from plastic sheets that offered little protection from the cold and wet weather.
Entering Khan Yunis Hospital, Dr Darwish was met with exhausted medical staff who were battling with limited supplies. Vast numbers of patients with extreme injuries came through the doors and difficult choices had to be made within minutes on who could be saved.
Adapting to an impossible environment
Lack of electricity and water are causing numerous health complications. Without electricity, patients in need of ventilation struggled to breathe. The absence of water prevented the sterilisation of medical tools. Medication, antibiotics, painkillers, and even anaesthesia were sparse – basic resources that should be present in any hospital.
Children with severe injuries from shrapnel lay in beds with little to no relief due to lack of medical resources.
“I met a very scared six-year-old boy that had a shrapnel injury in his abdomen. Because of the complexity of the injury, and because of limited resources such as antibiotics, the boy’s abdomen was open and there were a lot of holes in his bowels. Anything he ate or drank was leaking out of his abdomen. That child had not had any food to eat, or a proper drink, for a whole month, he was a skeleton.”
Stretched to limits
Despite the chaos, resilience and humanity ran through the Gazan people. Local medical staff welcomed Dr Darwish and his team, despite managing the loss or unknown status of their homes or family members. They were stretched to their limits, with only nine operating hospitals left of all the 36 hospitals in Gaza.
“You cannot but compare it to our work in a UK major trauma centre, where for one trauma patient, you might have six, seven, even 10 doctors treating them. In Gaza you are one doctor for 10 people, 15 people, which means you have to make really heavy decisions on who to treat. It sits heavy on my heart that there were many children we could not even see to in time.
I've been part of over 45 global missions in conflict zones, with Syria, Aleppo, being one of the most challenging. This mission to Gaza was the most difficult mission that I've been through physically, mentally, even psychologically, because of the amount of injury that I witnessed and the amount of devastation and carnage we were faced with and with only basic supplies and resources.”
Medical needs for years to come
“The number of injured people now in Gaza has exceeded 70,000. If you can imagine the complexity of these injuries - these patients will need years of medical care, surgical operations, physiotherapy, and a lot of resources to reconstruct their injuries. There is a huge need for humanitarian aid, but first there must be a ceasefire.”
We have provided training to 79 UK surgeons who are preparing to or have already travelled to Gaza to provide life-saving aid. Many more are scheduled to depart. Our aim remains steadfast and unwavering – to ensure everyone has access to safe, skilled surgical care.
We are committed to supporting the Palestinian people until we are able to train in-country again.
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Teaching 86 war doctors in Vinnytsia, Ukraine
86 more Ukrainian doctors are now armed with trauma surgery skills that will help them improve the care they give to victims injured on the frontline. In partnership with UOSSM International, our trainers upskilled both surgeons and anaesthetists in the Ukrainian city of Vinnytsia.
Despite over two years of conflict, many doctors in Ukraine are still facing horrifying injuries - and many they were not trained to treat during standard medical training. War inflicts incomprehensible injuries on those it meets. Shrapnel can tear through multiple parts of the body and it’s a medical team’s job to identify which injury needs treating first. This is done by carrying out damage control to find and reduce sources of bleeding before repairs can take place. Under pressure, this isn’t an easy feat but are vital skills that we teach – alongside guidance on how to stay calm and focused - on our course.
The long road
It’s not just immediate care that doctors need to be trained in. War wounds often require months, sometimes years, of rehabilitation and additional surgeries. Our team visited the Superhuman Center in Vynnyky, Lviv, an outstanding facility supporting adults and children who have lost limbs in the war. It is facilities like these, and training like ours, that help doctors carry out amputations in such a way that the victims will recover well or receive prosthetics when the time comes.
Nick Cartwright, our Programmes Manager who led this course and visited facilities at both Superhuman and Unbroken, said:
“There’s a lot of a hardship in Ukraine today, but a lot of hope. There’s a strong desire for our training – Ukrainian doctors want to know they are doing absolutely everything they can for those injured in their communities. Having now upskilled nearly 600 doctors in Ukraine, the country’s healthcare systems are getting stronger, despite the ongoing pressures of war.”
Frontline stories
We interviewed a number of doctors who took our surgical and anaesthesia courses in Vinnytsia. It’s their experiences that drive us to keep going back to new cities, spreading trauma surgery knowledge further across the country.
“People were burning”
“When the war started we had a lot of humanitarian aid it was so helpful. But we still need it – the war hasn’t finished. This course is so helpful and interesting – there’s a lot of information and practical skills. Many things were new for me. It’s great that I now have new skills and knowledge.
I have some experience of war wounds since the war. We’ve had attacks here in Vinnytsia, a lot people were injured. People were burning, some had head injuries, they came to our emergency hospital. I also volunteered in places like Donbass.
The biggest attack here was on the 14th of July. A lot of people were killed, children. It was hard because we didn’t prepare for this. On this course, we saw a video of how colleagues work in an emergency situation. We have some things we need to change on how we will work in an emergency.
I want to tell the world that war in Ukraine is still going on. A lot of civilian people are dying. We need help to win this war – and I hope it will be soon.” - Daria, General Surgery Resident, Vinnytsia
“I’m going to use these skills in my operations”
“I’m a civilian anaesthesiologist in a country that is under war. I’m going to use these skills in planned operations in critical care in my emergency hospital.
Since we always have a lot of patients, with many civilians, internally displaced people, and military, who have trauma wounds, we are always lacking the materials, medication and equipment. Anything we receive (including training) we always use it.” – Igor, Anaesthetist, Vinnytsia
“I hope people are kind”
"I’m a Resident of General Surgery, trying to do all I can in my specialty. I hope I will not use this knowledge (from the David Nott Foundation training) on the battlefield, but Russia is still attacking.
I have some experience of treating war injuries. We’ve had a lot of injured people and deaths. I want to bring attention to Ukrainian refugees too who are now in other countries. I hope whoever hosts them is kind to them.” – Anastasiia, General Surgery Resident, Vinnytsia
As Ukraine continues to be ravaged by war, we have made a commitment to train every Ukrainian doctor in the country. Help us achieve our goal.