Train to Improve Medical Abilities
At Mehad, we believe that the perennial training of healthcare professionals is essential to strengthening healthcare systems in conflict zones. Since our creation, we have strived to provide specialized training to improve the quality of healthcare services in these regions. In collaboration with international and local experts, we aim to create a lasting impact by empowering caregivers to become trainers themselves, thereby extending their knowledge and skills within their communities.
Launch of Training Centers in Syria
In 2013, Mehad established the first medical training center in Bab-Al-Hawa, northern Syria. In 2014, we opened two additional training centers in Raqqa and Derek, northeastern Syria, in response to the increasing danger that prevented medical staff from safely traveling to the western training center. Both centers are currently operational.
These centers enable us to train our caregivers and staff from other organizations.
Mehad was also the first organization to offer specialized training on chemical attacks and contamination. Our programs encompass various fields, including:
– First Aid
– War Medicine and First Response
– Emergency Medicine
– Emergency Obstetrics
– Resuscitation
– Protection against Chemical Weapons
– Nursing
– Training the Trainers
Training Centers in Ukraine
The experience we gained in Syria inspired us to expand our operations to Ukraine.
Initially, training was delivered at two centers in Lviv and Kharkiv, located just 30 kilometers from the Russian border. However, to adapt to the region’s unstable security conditions, training is now conducted by mobile teams in collaboration with local medical centers and hospitals.
The goal is to train Ukrainian caregivers so they can, in return, train their colleagues with courses covering numerous aspects of war medicine, including protection against chemical weapons, advanced first aid, and pain management. These training sessions are conducted in the Kharkiv, Odesa, Poltava, and Sumy regions.
Additionally, we have recently established physical therapy training units for pediatric teams in Kyiv and Vinnytsia, further enhancing the capacity to care for injured children in these areas.
The trainings include:
– Advanced Surgical Damage Control
– Fast Echography Training
– Psychological Trauma Management (Psychological Damage Control)
– Tactical Medicine Training (Medical Evacuation)
– Prevention and Management of Chemical Attacks
– Pain Management Training
These initiatives aim to create a lasting impact by strengthening local capacities, allowing Ukrainian healthcare professionals to respond effectively to current and future medical challenges. 
Training Programs in the West Bank
Our first training mission in the West Bank took place in May 2024, focusing on emergency ultrasound. This initiative taught doctors how to use portable ultrasound devices to diagnose patients with abdominal trauma in under three minutes, facilitating prompt and effective patient care.
Yemen: Training to strengthen local abilities
Mehad has developed a training program for caregivers at Lawdar Hospital in Yemen aimed at improving local abilities. This program includes the “Medical Management of Major Emergencies” training, which aims to prepare healthcare personnel to handle major adult and pediatric emergencies within the specific context of Lawdar Hospital (limited resources, absence of CT scanner…, etc.).
For Mehad, access to training and strengthening local capacities are essential for rehabilitating the healthcare system. Our primary goal in the coming years is to continue our training programs while adapting to realities on the ground.
Pierre: Training to Enhance Local Healthcare Efficiency in Emergencies
My colleague, emergency physician Mehdi El Melali, and I recently conducted a training mission in the West Bank.
With support from the Palestinian Ministry of Health, we identified five primary training needs, including emergency ultrasound—a specialty in which Mehdi has extensive expertise.
Emergency ultrasound is particularly beneficial for patients in conflict situations who face specific trauma, as it allows for rapid and appropriate patient care. Our goal with this training was to teach clinicians how to perform abdominal and thoracic ultrasound in under three minutes.
The training sessions were delivered across the West Bank, particularly in Hebron, Bethlehem, Jericho, Tulkarem, Jenin, Nablus, Salfit, and Ramallah. Moving forward, we aim to develop a “training of trainers” program to increase the frequency of sessions and expand training to include obstetrics.
Pierre Catoire, Emergency Physician, Medical Advisor for Mehad
