Latest news with #amputees
Al Jazeera
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Gaza's generation of amputees
On February 13, 2024, Al Jazeera's Ismail Abu Omar lost his leg in an Israeli airstrike while reporting in Gaza. He speaks about his experience, and of the resilience of Palestinians and Gaza's rising population of amputees.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Western trainers use amputee actors to prep Ukrainian recruits for the 'shock' of blown-off limbs and other war wounds
Thousands of soldiers have been trained in the UK to fight Russia. The trainers use amputees to act as injured for shocking realism, the operation head told BI. The aim is not only to help soldiers survive but to "be as lethal and as effective as they can be. To prepare Ukrainian soldiers who come through the UK for training for the horrors of war with Russia, trainers have been employing amputees as wounded soldiers to make it feel real and introduce a bit of "shock." Col. Boardman, the commanding officer of the UK-led training program Operation Interflex, told Business Insider that the training for Ukrainian recruits includes a first aid course using actors. "Quite a lot of them are amputees," he said. "That adds a real sense of realism to the exercises: When you come across the casualty and it's someone with a leg missing at the knee and lots of theater makeup all over them." "And the idea is to bring a bit of shock and a little bit of reality to really get the recruit into the moment to make them really think it's a genuine casualty they're having to deal with." "Actually putting a tourniquet on a stump is different to putting a tourniquet on a healthy leg," he said. For the training, fake blood and burn makeup create the perception of a severe war injury. The UK and partner nations have trained more than 56,000 Ukrainians to fight against Russia's invasion as part of Operation Interflex. Ukrainians have come to the UK to learn from the militaries of the UK and 13 other allied nations, including Australia, Canada, Denmark, and Lithuania. The training is provided to new recruits, as well as ones with combat experience. Drones that scream as they dive into vehicles and dismounted troops and explode, close-quarters combat in trenches, artillery raining down along the front, the war in Ukraine has been a grinding, horrific fight with tremendous losses. The UK Ministry of Defence said last month that Russia is estimated to have suffered around 1 million combat losses in Ukraine. Ukraine and its partners do not share figures for Ukrainian losses, but a recent study put its casualties at almost 400,000. Between combatants, the total war dead is in the hundreds of thousands. This war has been catastrophic. Warnings from Western generals in recent years have come true in Ukraine. They had warned that soldiers in modern warfare may no longer have the lifesaving "golden hour," the first 60 minutes after getting injured, the window when higher-level care and treatment can drastically increase chances of survival. Soldiers and combat medics in Ukraine previously told BI that the ability to receive trauma care during the so-called "golden hour" that Western militaries enjoyed in conflicts in recent decades simply doesn't exist in this war. Control of the air in Iraq and Afghanistan, for instance, meant warfighters could be medevaced to field hospitals and other facilities rather than, as it is in Ukraine, leaving troops dependent solely on first aid in the field, with proper care hours or even days away. An American veteran of the conflicts in the Middle East who also served in Ukraine said injuries that could be easily treated if soldiers could get proper medical care quickly often instead result in amputations and deaths. That puts pressure on combat medics, and fellow soldiers, to provide the best possible care they can in the field, making rigorous training crucial. Boardman said instructors try to integrate medical training throughout the training. The Ukrainians consistently say that "they'd like more of it because they're very conscious that it is literally lifesaving treatment." He said combat medicine is taught to Ukrainians from the very beginning, even in the course for new recruits. He explained that "it gives them enormous confidence in the event of themselves becoming a casualty or one of their colleagues." Boardman said that the course is structured around what any military recruit would need to survive and be effective, with some specifics for this war added, like drone warfare basics. "We probably teach them more than we would teach our British Army recruits because our British Army recruits don't go straight to war off the back of their basic training," Boardman said. He explained that "we're trying to make the soldiers not only able to survive in the environment but also be as lethal, as effective, as they can be." Much of the course is driven by what the Ukrainian soldiers say they need. For the Western trainers, the war that Ukraine is facing is unlike their own experiences. Ukraine is facing a major land war featuring trench warfare and artillery battles reminiscent of the World Wars mixed together with drone warfare unlike anything the world has seen before. The Ukrainians are battling a much larger adversary with key advantages in manpower, equipment, and industry. Boardman said that the dynamic is something instructors are aware of and act accordingly. He shared that Ukrainian commanders and sergeants often come from front-line units and "know very well how to clear a trench because they were doing it a few weeks ago. " Sometimes, the Ukrainians will push back on certain theories of war, noting that they didn't work when employed in combat. He said that the militaries doing the training hold institutional credibility from decades of experience, so "whatever the potential skepticism of experienced Ukrainian soldiers on arrival here, their chain of command, their senior headquarters have decided that it's worth their while to come here and be trained." But that doesn't mean it's rigid. The training is flexible and subject to changes based on feedback received even from the lower-ranking Ukrainian soldiers. "That wouldn't need to come as a letter from Kyiv to tell us to change that" Boardman shared. He said there is a "really rich mutual understanding going on" where the UK and partner countries carefully listen to the Ukrainians' experiences and share NATO doctrine in return, and "it ends up with the sum being much greater than the parts, which is really valuable for us." Boardman said the UK is approaching training "with a humility" and that the trainers are "learning a lot from the Ukrainians." Western nations, especially those in Europe, are increasingly concerned about the Russian threat, and their militaries are rapidly absorbing lessons from the war. "We are also feeding all that knowledge into the British Army," the colonel said. Read the original article on Business Insider
Emirates 24/7
28-05-2025
- Business
- Emirates 24/7
Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil Announces AED 4 Million Worth of Next-Gen Prosthetics for Amputees in Need
Cutting-edge osseointegration surgeries to be provided at Abu Dhabi's Burjeel Medical City through a newly launched clinic led by world-class experts. In a landmark initiative aimed at helping amputees affected by trauma and conflict regain mobility with dignity and confidence, Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil, Founder and Chairman of Burjeel Holdings, has announced the funding of 10 advanced prosthetic surgeries for underprivileged individuals. The announcement, made during the launch of the Al Muderis Osseointegration Clinic at Burjeel Medical City (BMC), represents a commitment of AED 4 million toward improving the quality of life for those living with limb loss. Osseointegration surgeries, introduced to the Middle East for the first time through this initiative, will be offered to the most deserving individuals. The procedures will be performed by Prof. Dr. Munjed Al Muderis, a renowned orthopedic surgeon recognized globally for his expertise in this cutting-edge field. 'We are fortunate to work under the most kind, generous, and purposeful leadership we've ever seen. They are fast thinkers and even faster movers—none of this would have been possible without that vision. In the Year of the Community, it is our responsibility to support those who need advanced care and help bring them back to normal life. I believe we'll do many more cases, but when it begins with a touch of generosity, we've already succeeded,' said Dr. Shamsheer. Inspired by Survivors: The Story of Sham and Omar This initiative was inspired by the courage of two young Syrian siblings—Sham and her older brother Omar—who were rescued from the rubble of their home after a devastating earthquake in Syria. Suffering traumatic injuries and limb loss, they were brought to the UAE under the humanitarian directives of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Mother of the Nation and Honorary President of the Emirates Red Crescent. BMC became their home for complex surgeries and intensive rehabilitation. Deeply moved by their strength and vulnerability, Dr. Shamsheer was inspired to bring the world's best prosthetic solutions to the region. Determined to ensure that children like Sham and Omar—and many others affected by conflict or disaster—can walk again with dignity, he partnered with Prof. Dr. Munjed Al Muderis to establish a regional center of excellence for osseointegration. The goal: to make next-generation prosthetics not just available, but accessible to those who need them most. Al Muderis Clinic to Deliver Surgeries The surgeries will be performed at the newly launched Al Muderis Osseointegration Clinic at BMC. Established in collaboration with the Paley Middle East Clinic, the center introduces a transformative surgical technique that provides amputees with an advanced alternative to traditional socket-based prosthetics. Known as osseointegration, the procedure anchors a prosthetic limb directly to the patient's bone using a titanium implant. This results in significantly improved mobility, stability, and comfort, along with a shorter rehabilitation period. Beneficiaries will receive the Osseointegrated Prosthetic Limb (OPL) system, which integrates with the bone and extends through the skin to securely attach to an external prosthesis. This direct skeletal connection mimics natural limb movement and eliminates many of the limitations of conventional prosthetics. Unlike traditional prosthetics—which can cause discomfort, skin irritation, and joint complications—osseointegration offers a more intuitive, stable, and lifelike experience. The OPL also enables osseoperception, a phenomenon that allows users to regain sensory feedback through their prosthesis. 'Our goal has always been to restore mobility and dignity to amputees. By bringing this technology to the UAE, we're building local capabilities and offering hope to those who have waited too long for the right kind of care,' said Prof. Dr. Al Muderis, who has treated more than 1,200 patients worldwide using this technology. 'We hope Dr. Shamsheer's noble gesture will help restore mobility to the most deserving patients from all age groups. We are proud to begin offering such a unique service through a community-centric initiative.' Prof. Dr. Al Muderis—whose inspiring journey from fleeing Iraq as a refugee to becoming a globally respected surgeon is well known—emphasized the personal mission behind the clinic. 'Mobility is life,' he said. 'Our mission is to ensure that limb loss never defines or limits a person's future. Over the past decade, we pioneered the single-stage technique and adapted the technology for diabetic, vascular, pediatric, transtibial, and hip-disarticulation amputees. With this technology, we empower people with even the most complex injuries to reclaim their independence and quality of life.' A team of medical experts will identify the beneficiaries of the initiative based on clinical evaluation and medical needs. Further details will be announced soon. Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.
