Explained: the training of Ukrainian medics
On the 30 June, the first cohort of Ukrainian medics trained in the UK completed their course. The course is the first of its kind in the UK, and to date nearly 150 medics have received the training, but what is it and why is it important?
The UK is delivering a new training programme to Ukrainians in their fight against the illegal invasion of their country, what is being delivered?
A combat medical training course for Ukrainian Armed Forces. Teaching life-saving medical techniques and strategies for providing battlefield trauma care. The five-week course is being delivered to both current and new Ukrainian Armed Forces medics.
Who is running the training?
The course is being delivered by the British Army Medical Corps and combat medic instructors from The Netherlands and Iceland.
“We have a top-class team of medical instructors, and we are all humbled and proud at having a part to play in helping Ukraine liberate their homeland from this illegal invasion.
“The Ukrainian students are keen to learn and absolutely dedicated to gaining as many skills as they can before returning home to save life. The vast majority have been actively involved on the battlefield and many carry the wounds of war. They are an absolute pleasure to teach, and such is the nature of their recent experience, we learn as much from them as they do from us.” — Captain Phil Williams of 2nd Medical Brigade, Course Director.
What is being taught?
Medics are being trained in critical techniques such as providing medical care under fire, casualty assessment, controlling heavy blood loss, and giving crucial pre-hospital emergency care. Skills they gain include:
- triaging mass casualties with a range of different injuries
- treating casualties with major injuries caused by blasts and small arms fire
- treating and safely extracting patients from civilian and military vehicles
- extracting casualties under fire.
How many Ukrainian medics have been trained?
As of October 2023, 147 Ukrainian medics have completed the training course.
How are the Ukrainian medics being trained?
Evidence from the battlefield and requests from Ukrainian personnel have been incorporated into the programme, with trainees being instructed on how best to optimise their own health so they are fit to fight.
The trainees go on to put their learning to the test in practice battlefield scenarios to give them the confidence to effectively apply their skills back on the front line.
Why is it important?
Combat medics save lives, not just the lives of soldiers in battle but also civilians.
The level of training Ukrainian medics are receiving via the course, means they are able to train others when they return to Ukraine. This is particularly important because Ukrainian’s healthcare infrastructure is under attack. And it is not just military medics and Army hospitals on the frontline.
1006 attacks on Ukrainian healthcare facilities between 24 February 2022 and 28 June 2023- source The World Health Organisation [WHO].
86 attacks on health care workers were documented, with 62 health workers killed and 52 injured between start of the war and December 2022. Many others were threatened, imprisoned, taken hostage, and forced to work under Russian occupation- source a joint report by Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), eyeWitness to Atrocities (eyeWitness), Insecurity Insight, the Media Initiative for Human Rights (MIHR), and the Ukrainian Healthcare Center (UHC).
273 attacks impacting medical supplies between February 2022 and June 2023- source WHO
65 documented attacks on ambulances- source PHR joint report
One out of 10 hospitals in Ukraine have been directly damaged by attacks- source PHR joint report.
