Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rdxmf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-29T00:30:39.787Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Mobile Medical Relief and Military Assistance in Somalia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2012

Michael J. VanRooyen ,
Julia B. VanRooyen ,
Edward P. Sloan  and
Edward Ward
Michael J. VanRooyen*
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Office of International Studies, Chicago, Illinois
Julia B. VanRooyen
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Office of International Studies, Chicago, Illinois
Edward P. Sloan
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Office of International Studies, Chicago, Illinois
Edward Ward
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Office of International Studies, Chicago, Illinois
*
University of Illinois College of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Room 618, M/C 724, 1853 W. Polk Street, Chicago, IL, 60612USA
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Introduction:

Mobile medical clinics were established by an international medical relief organization to provide health care to victims of the war in Somalia. The study's purpose was to examine the prevalence of diseases seen and the effectiveness of mobile medical clinics, and to evaluate military support in security and care provisions.

Methods:

This is a descriptive case series conducted over a 6-month period. Physicians determined clinical diagnoses, and clinic personnel assigned security scores (one to five) based on: 1) crowd control; 2) the incidence of looting; and 3) threats of violence by individuals demanding treatment.

Setting:

Mobile medical teams that provided health care to regions in urban and rural Somalia assisted by United States and Italian military forces.

Participants:

At 149 mobile clinics, 25,265 patients were treated.

Interventions:

Medical treatment included dispensing medications, intravenous rehydration, and minor surgical procedures. The effectiveness of security measures was scored based on: 1) effective crowd control; 2) the lack of theft or threats of violence; and 3) the unimpaired operation of the clinic.

Results:

Medical teams treated 25,265 patients. The most common medical problems encountered were skin infections (19.5%), upper and lower respiratory tract infections (16.1%), and gastroenteritis with dehydration (7.1%). Malnutrition was seen in 4.7% of cases, and trauma accounted for only 0.7% of complaints. When military escorts were provided, the mean security score was 43% higher (4.85 ±0.46) as compared to the absence of a military escort (3.40 ±0.60) (p <0.001).

Conclusions:

Mobile medical clinics were found to be effective in this setting despite difficult conditions, limited therapeutic modalities, and few in-patient facilities. Infectious diseases were most common, while malnutrition and trauma were less commonly seen. The cooperation of United States and Italian military forces facilitated relief efforts by maintaining security, particularly in unstable areas.

Keywords

clinicsdisastermilitarymobilereliefSomaliaUnited Nationswar
Type
Brief Report
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 10 , Issue 2 , June 1995 , pp. 118 - 120
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 1995

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Bently, C: Primary health care in northwestern Somalia: A case study. Social Science Medicine 1989;28:1019–1030.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2. Connix, R: Health care and food aid for Somalia. Lancet 1992;340:676.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3. Downing, R: A tale of two clinics—Primary health care in refugee settings: Lessons from Sudan and Somalia. Social Science Medicine 1989;28:1053–1058.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4. Wallace, B: A land of terror. Maclean's (GMAC) 1992;105(36) September, 1992 p 26.Google Scholar
5. Flanagin, A: Somalia's death toll underlines challenges of post-cold war world. JAMA 1992;268:1985–1987.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6. Kates, R: Ending deaths from famine: The opportunity in Somalia. N Engl J Med 1993;328:1055–1057.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7. VanRooyen, MJ, VanRooyen, JB, Sloan, EP: The use of intraperitoneal infusion for the treatment of hypovolemia in Somalia. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine 1995;10:57–59.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: Rapid nutrition evaluation in drought-affected regions of Somalia–1987. 1988;37:104–107.Google Scholar
9. Heppner, D, Magill, A, Gasser, R, et al. : The threat of infectious diseases in Somalia. N Engl J Med 1993;328:1061–1068.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10. deWaal, A, Omaar, R: Doing harm by doing good? The international relief effort in Somalia. Current History (GCHI) 1993;92:198–202.Google Scholar
11. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: Population-based mortality assessment—Baidoa and Afgoi, Somalia. 1992;41:913–917.Google Scholar
12. Lyall, J: A familiar tragedy. Nursing Times 1992;88:22–23.Google Scholar
13. Manoncourt, S, Doppler, B, Enten, F, et al. : Public health consequences of the civil war in Somalia; April, 1992. Lancet 1992;340:176–177.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14. Laughlin, L, Legters, L: Disease threats in Somalia. American Journal of Tropical Medical Hygiene 1993;48:vi–x.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15. Gilks, C: Another African disaster. Brit J Med 1993;306:393.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16. Moore, P, Marfin, A, Quenemoen, L, et al. : Mortality rates in displaced and resident populations of central Somalia during 1992 famine. Lancet 1993;341:935–938.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17. Richburg, KB: Getting away with murder in Somalia. Washington Post 8 Apr 1993, p 31.Google Scholar
18. Gunby, P: Could late spring bring an end to US military medicine's “new world order” role in Somalia? JAMA 1994;271:92–96.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed