JOINews May


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Monthly Newsletter

May 2021

News from the Network

MED1stMR project starting in June

Starting from 1st June, the JOIN Office will participate in the research project MED1stMR. The project aims to better prepare medical first responders for stressful and highly complex disaster situations by developing advanced mixed-reality (MR) medical training with haptic feedback for enhanced realism. Johanniter Austria will be one of the end-user organisations, which will contribute to the best practice approach of the consortium composed of 19 organisations. JOIN will be responsible for communication, exploitation and dissemination of the project's results over the 36 months run time. Continue reading

Report of JOIN cooperation in Papua Guinea

The medical team of Johanniter International Assistance spent four weeks in Papua New Guinea assisting in containing the COVID-19 pandemic. Volunteers of JOIN members from Austria and Germany helped their local St John Ambulance sister organisation from early April onwards. On 6th May, they flew back home after having provided medical care, assessed the situation in remote regions, completed life-saving air transports, conducted multiple training activities, and provided protective equipment. Continue reading

Finish version of JOIN European First Aid Guidelines published

The JOIN European First Aid Guidelines are now available in Finish to everyone for free use. The manual offers a basic level of First Aid for the public and is compatible with current practice, with other specialist guidelines and with the existing evidence base. Read the ‘Eurooppalaiset ensiapuohjeet‘.

JOIN members at the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic

With slowly decreasing cases of COVID-19 infections in many countries, a number of our member organisations are preparing their volunteers to provide medical coverage of events again. In England, volunteers of St John Ambulance took part in a specialist 'Return to Role' course for upcoming events, and in Poland, the volunteers are ensuring medical safety at football matches. Johanniter Germany operates testing stations offering free rapid tests, also by dive-in. At peak times, around 800 people are tested daily. Read all about the various activities fighting the pandemic within the JOIN network here.

News from the Members

Jerusalem: St John Eye Hospital reports on its current situation

The escalating conflict in Israel and Palestine has put increasing pressure on our JOIN member from Jerusalem. On 17th May, our member reported on its situation. The clinical staff are responding to the crisis and treating causalities. The hospital took steps to keep its teams safe while continuing to provide care and prepare resources for the aftermath, especially in Gaza. Read the report of the CEO Ahmad Ma'ali here.

Germany: Johanniter evacuate office in Congo after volcano eruption

On 23rd May, the Nyiragongo volcano erupted near Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The lava halted on the outskirts of Goma, burying hundreds of houses and even large buildings. Seventeen villages have been destroyed, 1000 families have lost their homes, and half a million people are without water. The region experienced aftershocks the following days, and several buildings were damaged or collapsed in Goma and the neighbouring Rwandan cities. The Johanniter employees based in Goma supported the health sector and evacuated their international employees to Rwanda due to the potential risk of another volcanic eruption. Continue reading

Germany: innovative design on ambulance cars to prevent onlookers

Curious onlookers who observe, take photos or film the events at accident sites endanger the lives of the accident victims and sometimes even their own. Although since January 2021, photographing or filming an accident is punishable in Germany, first responders repeatedly experience that their work is hindered by onlookers who block the accident sites. Johanniter Germany created a design in the form of QR codes that can be customised and printed on ambulance cars and equipment. When onlookers attempt to capture the accidents with their smartphones, it triggers an automatic warning on their screens. In this way, onlookers should be immediately made aware of their actions. The project is currently in its pilot phase. Read more (in German) here.

Switzerland: Johanniter donates to Polish hospital

The Swiss Johanniter donated 30 rehabilitation beds, tables and mattresses to a Polish hospital. This month's donation was the fifth delivery of medical gifts to the Lubusz Region. Our Swiss member has been supporting the hospital and others in the region for several years with donations of different types of equipment and furniture. The long list of gifts included, among others: electric hospital beds, wheelchairs, roll-top models, clothes, or armchairs. Read more (in Polish) here.

News from Europe

rescEU legislation entered into force in mid-May

On 10th May, the European Union formally adopted a regulation aiming at strengthening its role in crisis management. In the frame of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, a new tool called 'rescEU' will enable the Commission to directly procure emergency capacities in cases of urgency where national capacities are overwhelmed. It will also offer suitable modes of transport and logistic solutions to Member States, for example, to transfer medical personnel, medical equipment and therapeutics. In this regard, Johanniter Germany is responsible for stockpiles of medical protection equipment to be prepared for higher health care needs. Find more information on rescEU here.

Johanniter International

Rue Joseph II, 166,

1000 Brussels, Belgium

join.office@johanniter.org

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