Immediately following the 2015 earthquake in Nepal, the IDF sent a team of 122 medical workers, 45 physicians, and 95 tons of equipment to set up a field hospital to provide high quality medical relief. The 60-bed field hospital treated nearly 1,600 patients, performed 85 surgeries, and delivered 8 babies over the duration of the aid mission.

The IDF has set up similar humanitarian missions to both Haiti and the Philippines.

Managing the Chaos After The Worst Mass Casualty Disasters

During these humanitarian crises, independent medical teams from around the world came to provide what care they could. The result was chaotic. Inexperienced and unequipped delegations were treating thousands of patients.

To better coordinate care and to ensure that field hospitals are properly equipped and trained the World Health Organization has started a process that permits only certain field hospitals to provide medical treatment during humanitarian crises.

The World Health Organization has taken notice of the IDF’s commitment to providing high quality medical relief in disaster-struck areas. Our hospital, along with nine others, has been selected for this designation (final approval is pending).

As part of the approval process, the International Health Organization sent a team of observers to a recent IDF Field Hospital training exercise. The exercise placed a major focus on the logistical aspects of building and operating a field hospital with little warning and under immense stress.

When Saving Lives – Every Detail Matters

The field hospital is a massive logistical and medical undertaking. The hospital can treat more than 200 patients per day and has 12 emergency medicine stations, 3 operating facilities, a blood bank, advanced laboratories, and imaging equipment. Its capacity is equivalent to a traditional hospital.

When people think, the entire world benefits.

On April 25, 2015, Nepal was hit with an earthquake of extreme magnitude. The impact was immense. More than 600,000 houses were destroyed and hundreds of thousands more were damaged. An IDF delegation was one of the firsts to participate in the global effort to rescue the Nepalese citizens and its tourists. Here are some numbers you need to know about IDF efforts in Nepal.

14 Days

Our delegates arrived two days after the earthquake and got straight to work. Landing April 27th, the field hospital was up by the next day and continued operating until May 10th.

260 Representatives

The Medical Corps included 45 doctors and 29 nurses. Additionally, the IDF delegation brought along two mental health professionals to treat unseen trauma.

1668 Patients

With injuries ranging from scrapes to severed limbs, our doctors remained constantly alert for every victim that was rushed in. Among the patients were 8 newborns who we helped deliver.

130 Surgical Procedures

Our field hospital was fully operational. IDF doctors performed tens of plastic surgeries and hundreds of orthopedic surgeries. In addition, the hospital had a fully functioning lab in which they ran a range of tests for the patients.

5 Medical Clowns

Medical clowns volunteered to assist the wounded, lessen anxiety, and improve victims’ mental health. The clowns brought a fun and positive environment to the field hospital.

Amazing!

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