Egypt: Seminar on treating weapon wounds
27-03-2014 News Release 14/50
Cairo (ICRC) – A three-day seminar on surgical techniques for weapon-wounded patients, attended by 40 doctors, ended today in Cairo. The event was held jointly by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Curative and Critical Care Sector of the Ministry of Health and Population at the National Training Institute.
"We have some good and well-trained doctors, but when you work in emergency situations or amid violence other important skills are also needed," said Dr Hisham Atta, assistant minister of health. "The aim of this workshop is to train doctors in these necessary skills."
The event was organized by the ICRC delegation in Egypt as part of a series of seminars on treating weapon-related injuries and courses on emergency department and trauma services. Two senior ICRC surgeons ran the seminar, which included lectures and videos.
"The ICRC would like to share the considerable know-how it has acquired through long experience in treating patients with weapon-caused injuries," said Marianne Gasser, who heads the ICRC delegation in Egypt. "The techniques will help Egyptian doctors deal with certain kinds of injuries they may face in their daily practice."
The ICRC has been working in Egypt intermittently since 1914. Its primary activities focus on working closely with the Egyptian Red Crescent to boost its preparedness to respond to emergency humanitarian needs, especially in the field of first aid, and promoting the incorporation of IHL into domestic legislation, military training and academic curricula throughout the Arab world.
For further information, please contact:
Mohammed Sultan, ICRC Cairo, tel: +20 100 505 33 10 or +20 225 281 540