Medical care following earthquakes: Clinical, organizational, and logistic challenges.

The orthopedic load following earthquakes exceeds that caused by any other disaster. This is due to the large number of musculoskeletal injuries due to falling debris, coupled with the widespread damage to general and medical infrastructure, causing a huge imbalance between surgical needs and the ability to address these needs, necessitating a switch in mindset and operational mode. Clinically, the operational mode will be that of damage control surgery, considering "life before limb" with only lifesaving and limb-saving procedures being performed during the acute phase of the event.

Humanitarian Medical Aid Mission in the Middle of a Pandemic - Israeli Experience in Equatorial Guinea.

Introduction: In March 2021, a series of explosions shook a military base in Bata, Equatorial Guinea. As a response to government officials' request, the Israel Defense Forces Medical Corps (IDF-MC) deployed an emergency aid team that faced two major challenges: (1) understanding the scenario, the injury patterns, and the needs of the local medical system; and (2) minimizing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak threats. This report describes the team design, the activities performed before and during the deployment, analyzes the pathology encountered, and shares lessons learned from the mission.

Establishing a COVID-19 treatment centre in Israel at the initial stage of the outbreak: challenges, responses and lessons learned.

Anticipating the need for a COVID-19 treatment centre in Israel, a designated facility was established at Sheba Medical Center-a quaternary referral centre. The goals were diagnosis and treatment of patients with COVID-19 while protecting patients and staff from infection and ensuring operational continuity and treatment of patients with non-COVID. Options considered included adaptation of existing wards, building a tented facility and converting a non-medical structure.