May 13, 2020 – 11:45
Medical service press and information center
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Koblenz (ots)
In the face of the new corona virus, the Bundeswehr medical service exchanged views with the medical services of other nations through mutual visits. Such visits have not been possible since the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2. For this reason, a video conference was held for the first time on May 7 between German and Ukrainian medical services experts.
During this time, every opportunity for mutual exchange should be used. After all, individual nations sometimes have completely different experiences in dealing with the virus. The video conference is therefore an effective means of maintaining this important exchange.
On the German side, the moderator of the conference was a retired general staff doctor. Dr. Dirk Raphael, who supports the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense in the reform of the medical service as a medical advisor.
Expert exchange over 2,000 kilometers
Senior Physician Dr. Johannes Backus supplemented the conversation with his extensive knowledge of how to deal with the crisis, which he was able to collect as head of the operational command center of the Bundeswehr Medical Service Command. Specialist in matters of SARS-CoV-2 were Senior Physician Priv.-Doz. Dr. Kai Kehe and senior medical officer Nico Dembofski ready. Almost 2,000 km away, on the other side of the screen, was Lieutenant Colonel Morhun, Head of the Epidemiological Department of the Ukrainian Medical Service, and Colonel Zitz, Deputy Head of the Kiev Military Hospital. An interpreter was on hand to help overcome language barriers.
Focus on protecting your own staff
Both sides reported how the new armed forces are dealing with the new situation. The subsequent discussion focused primarily on the question of how new infections can be avoided with the new type of corona virus and what testing options are available. The main topics were protecting the own personnel against infection, providing the armed forces with medical services, but also providing support in the civilian environment.
Personal exchange preferred
In the end, both sides found that the personal exchange is much easier and more pleasant. But that in times like these it is an invaluable opportunity to be able to exchange information digitally. Even if the technology did not always work smoothly and mouth-nose protection created additional difficulties in understanding, the video conference was helpful and instructive for both sides. And it has shown that an exchange of experience across all borders is possible.
You can find out more about the work of the Bundeswehr medical service here: https://www.bundeswehr.de/de/organisation/sanitaetsdienst
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Original content from: Press- und Informationszentrum Sanitätsdienst, transmitted by news aktuell
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