Jean Fiasse is a physiotherapist who is part of an ICRC surgical team in Goma in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He is the last link in the hospital chain, but far from the least. With his humanity and empathetic communication qualities, he helps patients become mobile again, despite the fear and suffering they face.
Fourth of a series of five videos that illustrate different aspects of war surgery in a bare-bones context.
See also:
The first in the series - DRC: An innovative approach to lifesaving war surgery
The second - War surgery in DRC: Emergency triage
The third - DRC: Performing war surgery without electricity
In eastern DRC, the ICRC trains specialists in war surgery to ensure the best possible treatment for patients with bullet or knife wounds. Since the beginning of the project in November 2012 in Goma (North Kivu), and then in Bukavu (South Kivu) in February 2013, 1,500 patients have had surgery. For the time being, the ICRC maintains an expatriate surgical team in Bethesda/Ndosho hospital in Goma. In Bukavu general hospital, local surgeons no longer need direct help from the ICRC and, since July 2015, we have provided only technical supervision and financial and material support.