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UOSSM completed its fifth medical mission in late August with surgical trainings for surgeons. On August 22-27, UOSSM, in partnership with the David Nott Foundation, conducted two Hostile Environment Surgical Trainings (HEST) targeting 74 surgeons of various specialties who work in hospitals receiving critical trauma injuries in eastern Ukraine.

The trainings were carried out in coordination with the Ukrainian Ministry of Health represented by the Scientific and Practical Disaster Management Center.

 

UOSSM will continue to respond as needed in Ukraine with vital surgical trainings.

You can support our work in Ukraine by clicking here.

You can learn about our work in Ukraine by clicking here.

UOSSM led a medical mission in Ukraine, in partnership with the David Nott Foundation (DNF), for two weeks in early June. The surgical trainings, Hostile Environment Surgical Trainings (HEST) were led by world renowned war surgeon Dr. David Nott, and his team from the UK, Drs. Pete Mathew and Ammar Darwish. The surgical trainings were planned and facilitated by Dr. Ahmad Dbais and the UOSSM Ukraine team. Dr. Khaula Sawah and Dr. Monzer Yazji, both co-founders of UOSSM USA, joined the surgical trainings.

Ukraine Surgical Medical Mission

The HEST training included one three-day course in Dnipro, where 38 surgeons received the training, and another three-day training in Kharkiv, where 30 surgeons received the intensive training course. These areas have both been under fire over the past few weeks. The trainee surgeons were very appreciative and engaged with the training courses.

UOSSM Led Surgical Medical Mission

One complicated surgery was also performed on a patient with war wounds.

Dr. Nott posted on the David Nott Foundation page, “We want doctors to feel empowered – sometimes all that’s needed is confidence. We want doctors to feel inspired to learn and try the techniques they’ve seen on our course.”

UOSSM and DNF teams on Surgical Medical Mission in Ukraine

Dr. Nott partnered with UOSSM in the past to provide these vital trainings to Syrian doctors in Syria and Turkey, to train them to save lives from war wounds and injuries.

Dr. Sawah met with the director of the Ukrainian Ministry of Public Health Center of Emergency Medical Aid and Disaster Medicine, Dr. Vitaliy Kryliuk (Віталій Крилюк) after the Dnipro training. Dr. Kruylik was very appreciative of the work UOSSM along with DNF is doing on the ground in Ukraine. Dr. Kruylik emphasized on the importance to provide doctors and surgeons with more advanced, structured, vital trainings, and to provide Training of Trainers (ToTs) courses to advance the skills of Ukrainian surgeons to handle and treat war zone injuries in particular on the frontlines to train fellow Ukrainian surgeons.

Dr. Sawah met with the director of the Ukrainian Ministry of Public Health Center of Emergency Medical Aid and Disaster Medicine, Dr. Vitaliy Kryliuk

UOSSM doctors felt the duty to provide Ukrainian doctors and patients with support and invaluable expertise gained from the 11-year Syrian crisis.

Surgeons receiving HEST training in Ukraine

Dr. Sawah said, “We know exactly how the Ukrainian doctors and civilians are feeling, and what they are experiencing. The brutal effects of war…the fear…the helplessness…the uncertainty…that is why we chose to share our experiences and expertise gained over the past 11 years in Syria, with the Ukrainian people. We want to help save lives. It was heartwarming to see people just come up to us and thank us for our support especially after they knew where we came from and what we have been doing for over a decade in Syria. We hope to continue to have more impact in Ukraine, supporting civilians with medical and humanitarian relief, and doctors and healthcare professionals with vital training and support to help save lives.”

Dr. Sawah added, “The UOSSM Ukraine team is making a difference every day with these trainings, mental health workshops, and medical and humanitarian relief amid the massive displacement during the last three months. I would also like to personally thank Dr. Sasha, a young Ukrainian orthopedic surgeon, who played a vital role in the trainings by translating and explaining the complete course materials, and helping to create an engaging environment with the Ukrainian surgeons.”

You can support our work in Ukraine by clicking here.

You can learn about our work in Ukraine by clicking here.

On May 26th, UOSSM Ukraine, in participation with the International Academy of Personal Management, organized and presented the lecture and training workshop, “Medical and Psychological Aspects of War” to over 25 doctors and volunteers. There were both in person and online speakers and participants at the session.

The program offered:

  • “Differential Diagnosis of Military Trauma” Report by Professor Dr. Kolyadenko N.
  • “The Impact of Military Trauma on Women’s Health” Report by Dr. Jabara T.
  • Report about UOSSM and its charitable activities by Dr. Zaydiye
  • “The Art Therapy” presented by Fesenyuk N.
  • “Game Therapy as a Method of Providing Medical and Psychological Trauma” by Dr. Bachurina N.
  • “Military Psychology Trauma” by Shophsa M.

Upon completion of the training session, all participants were presented with certificates of participation.

 

Medical and Psychological Aspects of War Training Workshop in Ukraine
Participants of Workshop

You can click here to support our work in Ukraine.

You can click here to learn more about our medical mission in Ukraine.

UOSSM USA’s Co-founder Dr. Monzer Yazji,  was interviewed by CNN on his recent medical missions in Ukraine. Dr. Yazji has gone to Syria throughout the past 10 years helping doctors and to alleviate the incredible suffering of the people. He felt a duty to share that expertise and support with the people of Ukraine as they are suffering under similar circumstances.

Dr. Yazji said, “Dr. Sanjay Gupta and CNN interviewed me about my medical missions in Ukraine and my past medical missions in Syria.In addition, the Ukrainian doctors are physically and emotionally exhausted. I was able to provide them with mental health support, and shared my experiences on the ground in Syria for the past 11 years and ways to cope with the stress. We also provided Ukrainian doctors with trainings, and helped continue to provide medical care, urgent medical and humanitarian relief to those affected by the brutal war at our clinics.

You can support our medical mission in Ukraine by clicking here.

As the situation continues to deteriorate in Ukraine with millions of displaced civilians, UOSSM continues on its medical mission. Two medical points have been established. The first medical point is in Lutsk, which is a medical clinic providing primary health care services, urgent treatment and medicines to women, children, and the elderly. Most are of the millions of displaced/refugees fleeing violence and bombardment.

The second medical point is in Lviv, and provides medical services along with emergency humanitarian services to those affected by the war. These clinics have been operating around the clock, 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the past month.

Dr. Ahmad Dbais, the International Missions Director, arrived on the ground in Ukraine last week to assess the situation and work with the UOSSM Ukraine team on strategy and training.  He also visited and worked in the medical points, providing medical care,  and planned logistics for Dr. David Nott’s arrival as part of the medical mission.

Dr. Nott, a Welsh surgeon, volunteers in areas of conflict, and has volunteered with UOSSM with his lifesaving surgeries in Syria and has provided training to Syrian doctors to help handle and treat war wounds and injuries and is set to arrive to Ukraine on Monday, April 4.

You can support our medical mission in Ukraine by clicking here.

 

Dr. Monzer Yazji, co-founder of UOSSM/UOSSM USA, is on his second trip to Ukraine to provide medical support by establishing a UOSSM Ukraine office, and medical points to support Ukrainians affected by the war. Dr. Yazji said, ” We are seeing around 60 patients a day, in one medical point at a church. Tomorrow, the number is expected to jump to 300 patients per day, as other local churches will be sending patients here to this medical point.
We also formed a network of volunteer doctors of different specialties; we did training for them today.”

On his first trip, Dr. Yazji met with other international NGOs and local officials to assess the situation,  establish UOSSM Ukraine, and provide medical relief. You can read about the first medical mission here and about the parallels between the Syrian and Ukrainian crisis here.

UOSSM was founded in 2012, in response to the crisis in Syria to help provide emergency humanitarian relief, medical care and relief and train those on the ground to handle war wounds, chemical attacks and other war related injuries and is now in Ukraine to provide the same type of support and services to Ukrainians affected by the war. You can support our work in Ukraine by clicking here.

A UOSSM medical mission team led by Dr. Monzer Yazji, co-founder of UOSSM and UOSSM USA, is headed to Ukraine from the US for a to assess the situation and provide emergency relief.

According to OCHA, the war in Ukraine has led to mass displacement with over 2 million refugees fleeing the country since February 24, 2022. In the past two weeks, there have been at least 1,207 civilian casualties, including 406 killed. The actual number of civilian casualties is likely to be much higher as civilian deaths and injuries continue to be verified.

UOSSM hopes to provide medical relief to civilians affected by the war. If you would like to donate to support our work please click here.

Dr. Yazji said, “I have been watching the crisis of Ukraine from day one. History is repeating itself as I am seeing similar attacks and suffering that our people went through. I couldn’t sit back and watch the suffering of the Ukranian people when we have learned so much from our work in Syria. I felt the duty to share our experience and help alleviate the suffering of the Ukrainian people. This is why we are starting our medical mission in Ukraine. This is our vision, mission and promise, to help everyone suffering in the world.”

 

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