MAG Lao PDR’s Senior Medic Mr Amone conducted his first annual Refresher Training course between 22-27 September.
The course, held in Vientiane, trained and tested 26 trauma care medics. Unexploded ordnance (UXO) clearance teams typically contain two medics who are always present during clearance operations.
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Amone (left) at work during the recent training course in Vientiane. |
Twenty-one of the participants were MAG staff, with another five participants from UXO Lao, the national clearance agency. All participants passed.
During the course, Amone was supported by Robert Selfridge, a Training Coordinator for GlobalMedic.
GlobalMedic is a non-governmental organisation that MAG has contracted to support its medical staff wherever MAG is at work.
Robert said that although Amone was only appointed Senior Medic in March, the model was already working well:
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GlobalMedic's Robert Selfridge (right) with MAG translator Lae. [Photos: MAG Lao] |
“We have taught Amone how to teach. He can now conduct training throughout the coming year. GlobalMedic will return in 12 months to support him with next year’s Refresher Training. The idea is that we will keep him up to date with current best practice, and he can pass this knowledge on down the chain.
“Amone has proved himself to be proactive and very safety conscious. He’s very much a hands-on person who wants participants to get in there and try things for themselves. And he got both MAG and UXO Lao staff joining in together.”
Under the Senior Medic model, one person is responsible for ensuring that both medical procedures and inventories are standardised within the country. This means that MAG can move medics between teams as necessary.
Amone conducted the training using a course designed by Robert and translated into Lao by Mr Lae, a MAG translator.
“Medical translation into Lao is very difficult, and Lae did a great job with the resources that he had,” added Robert.
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The course's participants - all of whom passed. |
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MAG's work in Lao PDR is currently funded by: Armour Group; AusAID; DFID (UK Department for International Development); Imperial Tobacco; Irish Aid; The Humpty Dumpty Institute; Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF); Jersey Overseas Aid; USDA (United States Department of Agriculture); US Department of State.
27 October 08
