During the Indo-China War era of the late 1960s and early 1970s, for every man woman and child, 2 tonnes of weapons were dropped on Laos. Over 25 years later, UXO still cause death and injury in the south-east Asian nation.

From September 23rd to the 29th, GlobalMedic deployed two Toronto paramedics to Laos. Toronto paramedics Rob Selfridge and Josh Hehner’s objective was to evaluate the medical support program of UXO clearance operations, run a training program for team medics, and make recommendations for MAG Laos, FSD Laos and Handicap International (HI). The training is designed to both update and refresh existing emergency skills, as well as to present ideas on teaching and the dissemination of preventive and field medical knowledge to local health workers while the teams are deployed in various villages and regions.

The pair utilized GlobalMedic’s training syllabus entitled “Trauma Management and Field Medicine for Landmine /UXO Clearance Teams.” The focus of the program is to provide hands on training and practical exercises in Trauma Management, to medics working with UXO Clearance Teams. It is enhanced by additional sessions including Common Tropical Diseases, Venomous Snakebite and Infectious Disease Management. Global Medic teams have delivered similar training packages in past years to land mine teams in Sudan , Cambodia , Laos and Sri Lanka . In November 2003, Global Medic trained several teams in the Vanni region of Sri Lanka (agencies in attendance included HDU, FSD, RONCO, Horizon, Sarvatra, and the SLA ). May 2005, saw Global Medic providing training programs for MAG Sri Lanka, and in 2006, programs were provided for MAG Cambodia , MAG Laos, and MAG Sudan.

Mr. Hehner conducted training for the medical support teams of the Swiss Center for Mine Action (FSD) and Handicap International (HI) in Sepone, Savannnakhet Province. Nine medics from FSD and three from HI completed the training, as well as a nurse from the regional Sepone Hospital, sponsored by HI. Mr. Selfridge conducted training for the medical support teams of MAG and UXO Lao in Illay.

The final exam of the Field Trauma Medic program is designed to demonstrate the current and prospective medics' proficiency in the knowledge newly acquired. It is composed of a series of practical scenarios, involving both single and multiple patients, and dealt with real life situations that the medics may find themselves involved in. These exercises were designed so that the medic would have to utilize other personnel (in this case, other medics) for assistance. In this, it can be seen that not only was the medic’s knowledge being tested, but also their ability to direct others and control the scene.

Medical supplies and equipment were donated to the four de-mining agencies as well as to the Sepone Hospital. Following the training missions, Mr. Selfridge and Mr. Hehner were invited by MAG to tour two new field sites in Khammouane province where land around two village school houses is being cleared of dangerous UXO such as cluster-bomb submunitions.