MDA Crosses Boarders:

MDA Crosses Boarders:

MDA has had its first Emergency Aid Training Course
in Georgia

Eli Bin, MDA's Director General, has accepted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs request to provide the Georgian State Medical Academy in Tbilisi's staff (lecturers, doctors and surgeons) an emergency aid training course. The Academy is Georgia's highest institute for MA studies and higher medical education, as well as, the International Ethics Institute.

Mr. Gary Grosman and Mr. Boris Kozokin, senior MDA paramedics, were sent to Georgia to train the participants of the programme. The objective of the course was to qualify participants in teaching first aid and emergency pre-hospitalization medical response, who will later be able to pass their knowledge to other emergency response organizations such as the police and fire brigades, as well as, the general public.

The course was held for 10 days. Classes included teaching on how to prepare for lectures, techniques on how to work with students from different backgrounds, and development of training skills. The trainers presented MDA as a model for an organization which provides modern emergency medical services. Course participants learned about the different working techniques used in Israel – work based on the ACLS and PHTLS protocols.

The highlight of the course was a concluding exercise which was implemented in coordination with Tbilisi police and city's ambulance services. The concluding exercise staged the response to a traffic accident with three casualties. Response included evacuation of casualties from the vehicle, trauma intubations, and hemorrhage control. The rector of the Academy, Israeli ambassador in Georgia, Georgia's Vice Health Minister and others were present in the exercise.

The end of the programme was marked by a special ceremony in the presence of the Israeli ambassador. In the ceremony MDA trainers were presented with a certificate of appreciation and participants received the course's diploma.

While training in Georgia Gary and Boris visited the local ambulance services, dispatch centre and learned of their activities and performance. In addition, the two gave a lecture to a group of 200 medical students at the medical faculty of the Tbilisi University.   

Georgia and Israel have a long standing friendship. In 2002 following an earthquake that hit Georgia Israel sent humanitarian aid, as well as, following the drought that affected the Caucasus. This programme MDA was involved in was an additional proof to the deep friendship between these two countries.