Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, following the destruction of the Al-Wafa hospital in Gaza, what assessment they have made of where those with neurological injuries from Operation Protective Edge are receiving treatment; and what level of rehabilitation and specialist breathing equipment is currently available to amputees and those with spinal cord injuries.

DFID has supported UK – Med teams to deliver training and workshops to partners’ teams on spinal cord injury rehabilitation, neurological assessment, plastics and burns, and brain injuries rehabilitation as identified by trainers and trainees in the UK-MED / UK International Emergency Trauma Response (UKIETR) project. The training benefitted a number of outreach team members of Handicap International partners, while 42 beneficiaries benefitted from assessment and follow up technical support during UK-Med teams on the job trainings. UK-MED teams indicated that over the course of the project, major improvements have been noted in clinical assessment and in the treatment of complex trauma cases. Post-tests following workshops have consistently revealed significant changes in team confidence in managing trauma.