SOMALIA – The World Health Organization (WHO) in collaboration with the Somalia Ministry of Health have rolled out a capacity-building plan for first responders and hospital managers to strengthen critical trauma care services in the country.
WHO said in a statement that the plan aims to reduce preventable mortalities within the “golden hour” in any mass causality event.
WHO said it designed a customized four-day community first aid responders (CFAR) training in December 2022 amid a series of blasts in the country.
“The training, held in Mogadishu, focused on imparting knowledge and skills to these senior managers about planning, implementation, monitoring, and accountability of managing any mass causality event and preparing emergency wards and staff to handle any such event by following the established standard operating procedures (SOPs),” it said.
Following the deadly October 2022 twin blasts which left more than 100 people dead and another 300 injured in Mogadishu, WHO deployed a trauma operational and advisory team (TOpAT) to conduct a rapid assessment of the capacities of public hospitals in managing trauma and mass casualty events.
“This initiative helped to review existing capabilities and capacities in the country to manage mass causality events, both at the scene of the event and at the hospital, and develop plans to reduce preventable mortalities and long-term disabilities from injuries and provide best life-saving interventions in case of any such future incident,” WHO said.
It said the observations from TOpAT helped the WHO to come up with the idea of developing a short- and long-term plan for building the capacities of both frontline healthcare workers, including drivers, nurses, and paramedics working on ambulances or emergency wards of hospitals.
Other ideas born out of this include capacity building for the directors and senior managers of hospitals to help them prepare emergency wards and staff of health facilities for managing any such events in a professional, cost-effective and ready-to-serve manner.
Director of Somalia’s Madina Hospital Mohamed Abdirahman Jama said trauma care and emergency ward management is perhaps one of the most neglected and least-funded areas in Somalia.
“I am glad that a very structured effort has been rolled out to help health managers learn the much-needed professional skills that can help them to prepare hospitals and staff for managing any emergency and trauma situations,” Jama said.
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