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Thu Nov 23 15:02:22 GMT 2006

Pret,

A bit of perspective:
When I arrived in Iraq with the 912th FST at the start of the war, the
CSH was set up in the desert, some 40k from downtown Baghdad.  We ended
up on BIAP (Bagdhad International Airport), in a facility that used to
be a school and that ~6 months prior to the war became the home of the
SCUD missile training facility as well as a school (using the kids as
shields).  They had an Iraqi MD on site, and he left his books and
journals behind when the soldiers fled the facility.  The texts were
circa 1980 but the journals were NEJMs from the early 70's.  

When the CSH moved into Ibn Sina Hospital (the very same hospital that
CNN just did their series at), I had the opportunity to work at that
hospital  while I was working with the Joint Task Force at the CPA
Headquarters working to set up the Iraqi medical Society and the new
Iraqi Trauma Society.  We had several meetings with several Iraqi
surgeons after I was tasked by Mr. Brehmer to take care of the Iraqi
councilwoman that was wounded on her way to the airport to come to NY
and address the UN.  I had been brought to the local Iraqi hospital
where the surgeons were in the process of operating on her;  the OR was
something out of the early 1900s US ORs, and the surgeons were
diligently sewing up all of her multiple GI wounds with 0-silk, had no
transfusion ability, were ventilating her by hand with a pediatric
ambu-bag, and had given her a total of about 500 cc of saline over 2
hours.  they had never heard of the concept of damage control.  her pH
on arrival to the CSH (after I convinced the surgeons to tie off all
injuries, pack open and move to the CSH) was 7.01!

While she eventually died of her wounds,  I became very close with her
family, and learned that most of the best doctors had been fleeing the
country for years because they were being shot if they cared for anyone
who Hussein felt was an enemy of the state.  The docs had no access to
modern medicine or modern medical texts/journals - what we saw at our
base was typical fort the entire medical community.  

Bottom line, Iraqi physicians have been fleeing that country FOR YEARS
- and rarely with their families, for they couldn't get them out except
on rare occasions.

Think about that for a moment - and while you do, remember that when we
finally did secure the Ibn Sina Hospital we were made aware of the fact
that the hospital was built for Saddam and his party faithful, was NOT
open to the public, had 2 CT scans and an MRI that was almost
operational at the start of the war, and 2 SICUs separated by a large
room that was situated between the 2 ICUs.  The room was equipped with
shackles and various implements of torture when the hospital was first
taken over by out troops......and OBTW, most of the over 270 hospitals
across the country were off limits to the rank and file civilian prior
to the way.

I wish all of you on  this list, and all of those we care about and
hold dear to our hearts a very happy, Healthy, Peaceful and reflective
Thanksgiving Holiday.  And to all who serve overseas, and who are in
harms way, I ask that we all offer a prayer of thanks to them and ask
for their safety as they protect what we have, and so often take so much
for granted!

With my best wishes to all,
Ron

>>> "Bjorn, Pret" <pbjorn at emh.org> 11/22/2006 12:26 PM >>>
I hesitate to send this, as it is as inherently political as it is
informative.  

Foremost, I hope that we'll simply keep our colleagues and their
patients in our thoughts and prayers.  Americans celebrating their
Thanksgiving holiday might further reflect on our good fortune, and
the
ramifications of our global stewardship.

Shortcut to:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061122/ap_on_he_me/iraq_s_doctors_1 

All best,

Pret Bjorn, RN
Bangor, Maine USA

 <<iraq_s_doctors_1.url>> 

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