Vishwa Kalyan Award – 2018

Nursing and Paramedic in Medicine

Padmini Arhant

Nurses and Paramedics are core members and integral part of medical profession. The patient care aimed at recovery lies mostly on efficient, caring, compassionate as well as attentive staff viz. nurses together with auxiliary providing different services as nutritionist, physical therapist and other aides depending on patient’s condition and requirements. Nurses on duty have maximum interaction with patient compared to physicians and other specialists in any protocol since the latter are unable to afford too much time and are usually updated with regular monitoring and statistics maintained by the former.

Nurses on call require patience and will to serve those suffering from various health problems. Patients with good caring members such as nurses and general staff around them usually make progress and recover faster due to conducive environment.

Paramedics on their part play a significant role as first responders and emergency medical technicians (EMT) to any urgent health situation. Since any sudden health deterioration, life threatening unpredictable incident and importantly accidents directly involve paramedic help prior to admission in the medical center or hospital, the paramedics are expected to be spontaneous and conversant with critical care in reviving patient and transporting them to the nearest medical facility.

In war zones, the victims’ lives are essentially dependent on paramedics and immediate medical service providers. These health professionals risk their own lives while attending to those in precarious status. In doing so, they sometimes even end up losing their own life especially when missiles and air strikes target locations in civilian territory.

There is an alarming increase in the assault on medical workers and emergency team members in conflict territories with the aim to deprive wounded civilians from instant medical assistance. The callousness reflecting no respect for life unleash violence against anyone attempting to protect local residents’ lives of any age. The perpetrators launching attacks on medical aid workers are in serious violation of human rights, Geneva Conventions and other international law. Unless there are consequences enforced for such violations, the atrocity against health professionals and humanitarian workers would never cease.  Hence prioritizing the implementation of rules to curb these activities as punishable crimes is a global responsibility.

The scenario proved actuality for the following paramedics in their rescue effort in war zones.

On June 1, 2018 – Razan al-Najjar, a 21-year-old female Palestinian paramedic, was shot dead by Israeli sniper while attending to injured Palestinians along Gaza border. There were at least 100 Palestinians affected in Israeli strike during the Gaza border protest per worldwide reports.

In yet another gruesome incident emanating from U.S. administration under former President Barack Obama and allies sponsored terrorism in Syria led to the execution of American emergency medical technician (EMT) on November 16, 2014. United States direct funding of terror networks using taxpayer dollars created ISIL, ISIS and IS in Syria, Iraq and Libya with a severe backlash not on terror sponsors responsible for these crimes, who are contrarily lauded and revered in society.

Instead, the kind and charitable citizen like Peter Kassig forced to pay the price by militants on then United States administration and coalition payroll.

On November 16, 2014, American aid worker Peter Kassig was executed in Syria by the Islamic State (IS) militant group. The 26-year-old emergency medical technician (EMT) had worked in hospitals, clinics and refugee camps throughout the region for more than two years. He was known for treating population at risk in battle grounds on humanitarian basis.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) – Donald Bahati, a nurse whose clinic was attacked shares his anguish and experience in his statement – “Last month our clinic was raided and I was tortured.  I was scared, anxious but also angry. We are trying to save lives and they are trying to kill us.”

The medical workers in different capacity as volunteers or representatives of medical rescue organizations deserve safety and security no matter which part of the world they are deployed or contribute their service. These members are extraordinary in pledging their lives to save others from senseless violence and brutality witnessed in wars and sponsored terrorism with political and hegemonic agenda.

The nurses, support team in the hospital as well as paramedics are pillars in health care profession.  In confrontational areas, the brave souls rushing to offer medical treatment unequivocally champion humanitarian cause.

Appropriately, the Vishwa Kalyan Award in this category for 2018 is awarded to two martyrs:

The 21-year-old Razan al-Najjar of Palestine and,

The 26-year-old Peter Edward Kassig of United States of America.

The award is also presented to the living courageous nurse Donald Bahati of Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

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