The deployment of the Swiss Emergency Medical Teams “Mother&Child” took place during five weeks in the refugee accommodation centres between March and April 2022. After this emergency mission, a project on capacity building of healthcare specialists in the field of maternal and child health was designed, in order to continue professional assistance by providing on-the-job training in the beneficiary hospitals in Stefan Voda, Anenii Noi, Căușeni and SCMC "V.Ignatenco".
Paediatricians, surgeons and anaesthesiologists, as well as nurses and midwives from Switzerland spent a week together with specialists from Moldova sharing their experience, discussing clinical cases, emphasizing possible crisis situations in which it is necessary to mobilize all resources.
In total, between June and December 2022, nine training sessions were held in the paediatric departments and maternities of the beneficiary hospitals mentioned above, for a number of approximately 80 people. Also, a thematic symposium was organized with the support of the Society of Anaesthesiologists, with the generic "local-regional ultrasound -guided anaesthesia", where the technique of applying an innovative method of anaesthesia to children was presented to 45 participants from different hospitals.
Trainers from the Continuing Medical Education Centres of the "Raisa Pacalo" Centre of Excellence in Medicine and Pharmacy, from the Department of Emergency Medicine at the "Nicolae Testemitanu" State University of Medicine and Pharmacy and the training centre in emergency and disaster medicine from the National Centre for Prehospital Emergency Medical Assistance have benefited from training in the field of paediatric emergencies and pre- and post-natal emergencies. The doctors received an update of the most important procedures regarding resuscitation manoeuvres and intervention needs, they simulated cases and exercises in the management of accidents with multiple victims. In total, a number of 30 trainers from all three mentioned centres attended both trainings. The mentioned centres also benefited from a set of equipment for the training of medical personnel from all over the country, from high-tech mannequins to IT equipment to facilitate the teaching process.
In November 2022, the representatives of the beneficiary hospitals, as well as from the Ministry of Health, visited three hospitals in Switzerland, with different levels of competence, and analysed the experience in terms of organisation of emergency care, managing crisis situations, mobilizing the necessary resources and continuous training at working place.
The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation through the Swiss humanitarian aid funds will continue the effort to support the Republic of Moldova during the refugee crisis.