NATO Specialists Participate in Disaster Medicine Conference

TALLINN - The 18th War and Disaster Medicine Conference began on Thursday at the Estonian National Museum in Tartu, bringing together civilian and military specialists from Estonia and NATO member states and offering attendees the opportunity for a science-based discussion on topics related to war and disaster medicine.

"The War and Disaster Medicine Conference is one of the largest conferences of its kind in Europe, aimed at generating science-based discussion on topics concerning both medical aid and management-level challenges," said Neve Vendt, head of the War and Disaster Medicine Centre at the Estonian Military Academy.

"Wars and conflicts have shown that despite existing international law and the Geneva Convention, aid providers and healthcare workers are targeted by the enemy. Therefore, we have included speakers in the conference panels who have faced these situations. They will provide examples of how to ensure the safety of healthcare workers in conflicts and war, and discuss the legal and ethical dilemmas in these situations," she said.

This year's leading conference topics are ethics, the law of armed conflict, civil-military cooperation, and experiences from ongoing conflicts and wars.

During the two-day conference, experts in their fields from Ukraine, Finland, France, the USA, the United Kingdom, Syria, Palestine, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, and Estonia will give presentations.

In addition to interesting presentations, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in practical workshops, meet with representatives of industries active in the field, and view their exhibits.

"We are pleased to note that more practical workshops are added to the conference each year, and this year there are a total of 12, including topics like pediatric trauma management, burn patient treatment, and surgical procedures on live tissue for trauma patients. Experts in their respective fields from both Estonia and abroad will teach in all of them, and we are very grateful to our colleagues from neighboring countries, the USA, and the Republic of South Africa for their willingness to share their experiences and skills," Vendt added.

More than 600 people will participate in the two-day War and Disaster Medicine Conference, including military and civilian medics, allies from NATO countries, medical students from the University of Tartu, students from the Tartu and Tallinn Health Care Colleges, employees of the Police and Border Guard Board and the Rescue Board, representatives of ministries and civilian hospitals, and others interested in the field from both Estonia and abroad.

This year's conference is made special by a joint screening of the film "For Sama" at the end of the first day, which documents the life of a volunteer journalist and a doctor in Aleppo, Syria. The film's main subject, Hamza al-Kateab, will also be present to speak about his experience and answer participants' questions.

The annual War and Disaster Medicine Conference is jointly organized by the Estonian Military Academy, the Estonian Defence Forces, and the Health Board.

The War and Disaster Medicine Centre (SKMK) of the Estonian Military Academy is engaged in research and development in the field of war and disaster medicine in Estonia. The SKMK also conducts training in war and disaster medicine for military personnel, medical students, and other partners from Estonia and abroad.

The Estonian Military Academy is Estonia's only institution of higher education for national defense, where officers and non-commissioned officers are trained for the Defence Forces and the Defence League. In addition, the academy offers advanced military training and organizes research and development activities related to national defense.