Frankfurt University Hospital is involved in a partnership with Karen Department of Health and Welfare (KDHW), a health organisation providing basic medical care to the Karen people, an ethnic minority in Myanmar. The project sees the partners working to improve in-patient and outpatient care and emergency treatment at the KDHW’s new Ta Ray Poe Kwee Emergency Referral Center.\r
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Background: \r
The Karen minority, persecuted by Myanmar’s military dictatorship, live primarily in self-administered zones, in which there are no state-funded health services. There is a severe lack of medical services for the population and the humanitarian situation has deteriorated tremendously following the military coup in February 2021.\r
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Activities:\r
-\tProcurement of medical equipment, medicines, consumables and training materials \r
-\tFive-day intensive course in emergency medicine and anaesthesia, covering topics such as emergency medical services, triage, COVID-19, gunshot wounds, blast injuries, polytrauma and shock\r
-\tThree-day intensive course on emergency management and the treatment and referral of patients who have suffered animal bites and stings, particularly from snakes and rabid animals\r
-\tWorkshops for medical staff on topics such as COVID-19, malaria, emergency services, life-sustaining interventions and referrals \r
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Impact: \r
The KDHW’s Ta Ray Poe Kwee Emergency Referral Center has a well-equipped accident and emergency unit and, having completed the relevant courses, staff are now able to treat and, where necessary, refer patients in accordance with standardised procedures. In this way, the project addresses the particularly high demand for medical care resulting from the armed conflict and the large numbers of internally displaced persons.