1. Short term challenges of
surgical response to
humanitarian disasters
Explosion Incident in
Brazzaville Congo 2012
Dr. med. Philipp Fischer
Klinik und Poliklinik für Orthopädie und
Unfallchirurgie
Universitätsklinikum Bonn
Direktor: Prof. D. C. Wirtz

2. Scenario
246 people were killed on 4th March 2013 when a military
amunition depot exploded in Brazzaville, capital of the Republic
of Congo. Almost 2000 people were injured by the blasts which
rocked the riverside capital of the oil-producing nation,
flattening houses near the scene and sending a plume of
smoke high above the city.

3. Scenario
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4. Scenario
» 246 killed (official)
» 1500 injured
» 20.000 IDPs
» Civil Unrest against the
Government
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17. Challenge 1 Running out of Material
After a few days we run out of fixateur extern
Telphone to humedica (its weekend i dont now.....)
Telphone to Walter (GRF)
Email Contact with Synthes (Steve Schwartz)
500 kg of material were send!
Handed over to 2 Hospitals
Trained Physicians / Disaster Med Institute /Training Courses in 2014
(First AO Course?!)
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18. Challenge 2 Work outside the OR
Official German Delegation
First Operation then Ministry/GIZ/ UN etc
Assessment in IDP Camp
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19. Work together with UN Demining Group
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20. Challenge 3 Experimental Operation Enviroment
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28. Conclusio
-Be self sufficient as NGO in a Disaster Mission
-Always have a tie with you.......
-There is a need for a Damage Control Orthopaedics Course
Before Teams are deployed and for surgeons in low income countrys
-Registry
-Prof. of Humanitarian Surgical Response
-First AO Disaster Course in Brazzaville?!
06.12.2013
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