Train the red epaulets of the future Central African army
(BRUSSELS2) « Put the pillow under his "occiput" and gently stretch his neck. GOOD. Now take the laryngoscope in your left hand. Place the thumb of your right hand on the front of the lower teeth and the first finger on the maxilla. Now open his mouth. Insert the tip of the laryngoscope blade into the right side of the patient's mouth and place the blade at the base of the tongue. GOOD ... ". With a calm voice, Dr. Marko Ilic teaches Central African soldiers how to perform a laryngoscopy. The training of FACA medical teams, the Central African armed forces, is one of the priority tasks of the EUMAM RCA European mission in Bangui (Central African Republic). Because medical support is often the weak point of these armies which lack means.
Medical support, a weak point of the FACA
Little is known about the support that EUMAM RCA provides in the non-operational areas of daily military life. ISerbian Major Marko Ilic (see box) leads the course for doctors, nurses and paramedics of the Central African Armed Forces, the FACA. He is the mdoctor of the European advisory mission in the Central African Republic (EUMAM RCA). The focus of this training is double. In a country where violence is frequent, being able to care for its workforce is crucial. In addition, FACA medical facilities often treat civilians. Being able to provide correct and appropriate care to the population is "a major contribution to regaining confidence in their army, a confidence lost during the years of crisis", we explain from the HQ of the European mission.
Multiply the effects through training the trainers
Participants learn, for example, how to perform endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation. Theoretical lessons are followed by practical exercises, in which pedagogy is essential. After this course, Central Africans should be able to apply what they have learned in real life. They will also have to pass on their knowledge to other students. This “training of trainers”, a privileged tool of EUMAM RCA, ensures a lasting impact in the host country after the end of the EU mission.
(Leonor Hubaut)
Serbian medical support
The Serbs provide medical support for EUMAM RCA (Read: Notebook 02.06.2015) as they ensured that of EUTM Mali. Serbia also provides an important medical component to MINUSCA (with about 70 soldiers). "Medical" is a Serbian specialty today. It is part of Belgrade's desire, born after the last Yugoslav wars of 1991-1999, to participate in numerous multinational missions (UN, European Union) by providing non-combat teams. (NGV)
