Vietnam-Cambodia Military Medical Exercise: Disaster relief cooperation, spreading border friendship

Simulation of emergency transportation of victims.

This is a special activity demonstrating profound humanitarian values and an opportunity for the two countries to affirm close cooperation and emergency medical response capacity, while strengthening military-civilian solidarity and cross-border defense friendship.

General Phan Van Giang and General Tea Seiha witnessed the rehearsal.

Accordingly, the hypothetical scenario was staged and appeared realistic: Prolonged heavy rains accompanied by tornadoes caused many building collapses, creating mass casualties. The two countries' military medical forces, in coordination with local medical staff, had to deploy the entire chain of receiving, classifying, first aid, treating and transporting victims, demonstrating cross-border coordination, combat readiness and disaster response.

The emergency station of the Military Medical Disaster Relief Team was quickly set up in the middle of the simulated building collapse area, becoming an important link in the entire rescue system.

The emergency station is scientifically arranged, each functional area is clearly divided: Triage area, intensive emergency department, care and treatment area for mild and moderate victims, air transport area. The goal is to treat all victims in the shortest time, ensuring a smooth flow of transportation and emergency care from the scene to the next level treatment facilities.

Delegations from the two countries witnessed the exercise.

When the drill command sounded: Attention all forces! Live-fire drill begins! Immediately, medical teams took up positions, prepared equipment, and were ready to receive victims.

The first aid station is where the victims are first triaged. Two triage teams work continuously, quickly assessing the victims' condition and arranging them in order of priority. Serious, life-threatening injuries are treated urgently: airway clearance, bleeding control, temporary immobilization and immediate transfer to the emergency department.

Those with minor injuries were given first aid, such as bandaging, hydration, psychological stabilization, and guidance to the minor treatment area, where female doctors, nurses, and local medical staff coordinated care and emotional support.

The intensive care unit is the station's high-tech center, fully equipped with vital function monitors, ventilators, ultrasound machines, electrocardiograms, and modern monitors.

The Vietnamese-Cambodian military medical teams worked in harmony, demonstrating solid professional skills. The doctors and nurses performed ultrasounds, electrocardiograms, closed open chest wounds, aspirated air and blood from the pleural cavity, fixed fractures, intubated, and put the victim on a ventilator.

A simulation scenario, the victim is brought to the emergency room.

A realistic simulation situation was put into practice: The victim was examined by doctors and diagnosed with a severe traumatic brain injury, an open fracture of the left femur, which was firmly fixed in a splint combined with painkillers and antibiotics. After anti-shock and initial treatment, the emergency team consulted and decided to transport him to a facility with the ability to operate by air. Each step was closely coordinated, quick and followed the procedures in disaster emergency.

At the same time, the air transport medical team coordinated closely with the ground crew, prepared the stretcher, immobilized the victim, administered IV fluids, and monitored vital functions right in the helicopter cabin.

The rotor blades of the 18th Corps helicopter appeared in the sky, marking the transition from ground to air rescue. The air medical team coordinated with the ground rescue team to receive the victim in critical condition.

All operations of securing the stretcher, monitoring vital functions, infusing fluids, and controlling respiration were carried out right in the cabin, before the helicopter took off to take the victim to Military Hospital 175 (Ho Chi Minh City) for timely hemostasis surgery. The coordination between the ground and the air ensured the “golden hour” to save the victim’s life, and at the same time demonstrated the ability to coordinate across lines and forces in emergency situations.

Helicopter took off to take seriously ill patient to emergency room.

Not only stopping at medical emergency, the logistics force of Military Region 7 also actively participated, deploying mobile kitchens to cook on-site, ensuring nutrition for victims and officers and soldiers.

The image of a pot of hot rice and a cup of warm water in the middle of a makeshift field became a touching symbol of the spirit of “Serving the People”. Female doctors, nurses and local medical staff devotedly cared for the minor victims, bandaging their wounds while encouraging them, explaining information about their relatives, helping them feel secure while waiting for treatment.

Ambulances continuously brought victims to the station, the number of which kept increasing. From classification, emergency treatment to air transport, all operations were performed accurately and quickly by military doctors and nurses, creating a closed, effective and flexible treatment chain.

At the 24th minute of the drill, the Station Chief reported to the Joint Command Board: "Reporting to the Command Board, the Station has received 205 victims; of which 45 were seriously injured, 74 were moderately injured, and 86 were lightly injured. 32 seriously injured victims have been transported to the rear by road and five by air. Currently, eight people are still receiving emergency treatment and waiting to be transported later. All 45 officers, employees, 10 ambulances, weapons, and equipment of the Safety Team. All!".

Receiving orders from the Joint Command, the Station organized inspections of personnel, weapons and equipment and prepared to hand over the patient. All forces, equipment and vehicles operated safely and synchronously. At the end of the exercise, the Command highly appreciated the exercise, affirming the excellent completion of technical, tactical, organizational and coordination objectives.

The exercise not only tests professional competence but also has profound political, humanitarian and diplomatic significance. This activity strengthens solidarity and friendship, consolidates trust, understanding and coordination between military medicine, government and people of the two countries. At the same time, it contributes to building a border of peace, friendship, stability, cooperation and sustainable development, and refutes distorted views on Vietnam-Cambodia relations.

The image of the Vietnamese and Cambodian military medical teams walking across the stage, the national flags of the two countries flying, handshakes, trusting eyes and smiles filled with comradely love concluded the exercise but opened a new page for defense and medical cooperation between the two nations.

General Phan Van Giang and General Tea Seiha presented gifts to encourage the drill force.

The mass rescue exercise demonstrated the power of cooperation, professionalism and humanitarianism, core values that create a solid medical response capacity in the face of any challenge.

The exercise not only improved professional skills and rescue organization, but also spread the message of responsibility, solidarity and readiness to protect human life in all situations, affirming the image of the Vietnam People's Army as a strong, humane force and a reliable partner of Cambodia in defense cooperation and disaster relief.

NINH CO - HUONG TU - THE DAI

Source: https://nhandan.vn/dien-tap-quan-y-viet-nam-campuchia-hiep-dong-cuu-tro-tham-hoa-lan-toa-tinh-huu-nghi-bien-gioi-post922743.html