Ukrainian doctors teach how to treat victims of mine and explosive activity
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“We are like you!” – a manifesto, the importance of which is difficult to overestimate today. Ukrainian society continues to adapt to the new reality, where many of our fellow citizens have visible mine and explosive injuries. Natalya Alexandrina, the face of the project that FRIDA Ukraine is implementing with the support of the United Nations Development Program and the Government of Japan, also suffered such an injury.
A woman lost a limb during hostilities in Bakhmut, Donetsk region. The problem faced by people like Natalya is misunderstanding and rejection by society of people affected by mine and explosive activity. After a full-scale invasion, this topic becomes more and more important.
In order to contribute to the elimination of these barriers in public consciousness, the FRIDA Ukraine medical volunteer mission implemented the project “Increasing awareness of the acceptance and understanding of persons affected by mine and explosive activity among volunteer doctors, members of territorial communities and the general public” with the assistance of UNDP and with the financial support of the Government of Japan.
How the project will help people affected by mine and explosive activity
“Our society was not fully prepared for the emergence of such a large number of people with landmine injuries or damage. This has led to significant stigmatization and discrimination against this vulnerable population.
This is especially relevant for recently liberated or front-line communities, where hostilities continue very close by,” the FRIDA Ukraine medical volunteer mission notes.
The implementation of the project is aimed at eliminating these barriers. In particular, the mission notes that this will be facilitated by the work carried out with local government bodies, social services and health care institutions of the respective communities.
“We conducted 12 trainings for members of territorial communities on the frontline and de-occupied territories, which reached more than 300 people. Knowledge and practices regarding awareness and understanding of people who were injured as a result of mine and explosive activity will be spread among other members of the community even after the end of the project.” , – the representatives of the mission note.
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In addition to educational activities in the regions, work was also carried out with doctors. In particular, trainings on the topic “Domestic and psychological care for mine-explosive injuries”, in which more than 70 volunteer doctors took part.
The results of the project should also include the preparation of a large number of informational printed materials, including a booklet with tips on how to properly react and behave with different groups of people who need support after a traumatic experience.
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The booklet was created by a group of psychologists of the medical volunteer organization FRIDA Ukraine. Natalya Alexandrina emphasizes the importance of highlighting and spreading these tips among the population from her own experience, saying that she often encounters misunderstanding and rejection of people like her in society.
“I don’t like to be pitied. I’m not crippled, I’m just like you, I just move around on crutches. I don’t need help when I don’t ask for it. And you don’t need to look at me with pity – believe me, I have everything is fine,” Natalya says.
How to properly deal with people who have suffered from mine and explosive activity: Psychologists’ advice and Natalya’s experience
Victims of mine and explosive activity are divided into several groups:
- people who have visible physical injuries, such as facial or body burns;
- people who have significant physical injuries, such as loss of limbs;
- people who have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or other physical or emotional trauma;
- children with physical or emotional disabilities.
In order not to cause negative reactions in the interlocutor and not to worsen the situation, communication with a representative of each group has its own special principles. However, there are principles that unite them:
- Be friendly! You should not fundamentally change the pattern of your behavior. A person who has a physical injury should not feel any different than your interlocutor who does not have such an injury. “You don’t need to focus on the trauma and show pity and sympathy. The best thing you can do is to be yourself,” Natalya says.
- Do not cross personal boundaries! Do not ask questions about the details of the injury or treatment unless the interviewer will share this information themselves.
- Offer to help if needed! If you see that a person needs help, first check if this is really the case. And will provide this help only if it is really necessary.
“I feel uncomfortable when I am offered help. My husband is always by my side, which is why the help of others is often of no use to me. But, in my opinion, it would be right to offer help to everyone. And a person must decide for himself: to use or tactfully refuse it,” Natalya explains.
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4. Be patient! Sometimes communicating with people who have PTSD or other physical or emotional trauma can take more time and effort.
5. Be natural: Simple friendly conversation is the best way to support people with significant physical injuries. However, with people who have PTSD or other emotional trauma, be sensitive to possible triggers and don’t judge or pressure them.
Communicating with children who have suffered from mine and explosive activity has similar principles as communicating with adults. Above all, it is important to show sensitivity, empathy and respect for the child.
Your behavior should help support, increase self-esteem and restore their emotional well-being.
According to the head of FRIDA Ukraine, gastroenterologist Vladyslava Romaniuk, this project will create a significant effect of sustainability after its completion. In other words, this is a good start as an indication of what we should work on together:
“There is a lot of work ahead. We definitely continue to work in this direction. However, even today we should remember that each person is unique, their needs may differ. It is important to show empathy, be sensitive and understand each of life’s situations.”
We remind you that the FRIDA Ukraine medical mission was founded by Israelis Roman Goldman and Mark Nevyazky and unites 980 doctors from Ukraine and Israel. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, they have been providing quality medical care to children, people with disabilities, and the elderly in the hottest spots of Ukraine.
The mission was the first to visit the liberated Kherson, and also continues its work in Donetsk region, Kharkiv region, Zaporizhia and Sumy regions.
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Note on mine danger
- A dangerous find can lie in wait in the most unexpected places, so, first of all, you need to be careful.
- You should be especially vigilant when visiting water bodies, fields, forests, forest strips, and even when walking between green spaces in areas where battles used to be fought.
- An explosive or a mine can be hidden even in a toy or a book, so it is important to follow safety rules.
- Unknown routes and untested dirt roads should be avoided, and recreation in a recently war-torn forest or near a river should be moved elsewhere.
- If you see a suspicious object: Do not approach! Do not touch! Call 101.
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