Latest news with #medicalmission
ABC News
14-06-2025
- Health
- ABC News
What this Australian doctor saw in Gaza was 'apocalyptic'. But that will not stop him going back
The memories of "starving children" with horrific injuries still haunt emergency doctor Mohammed Mustafa. Warning: This story contains graphic details of dead bodies and animals. Dr Mustafa, known as Dr Mo, recently returned from his second volunteer medical mission to Gaza and the 35-year-old is considering a third. He said the only way to describe the situation inside Gaza was "apocalyptic". "You see dogs eating people in the streets, dead bodies in the streets, [dogs] pulling blown up arms out of rubble, or a leg and running away with it," he told the ABC. "There's a saying here, 'The only things that are not hungry in Gaza are the dogs', because they have a lot of people to feed on." Born to a Palestinian refugee family, Dr Mo has had time to reflect on his experience. Arriving just as a fragile ceasefire between Hamas and Israel collapsed in March this year, Dr Mo spent three weeks volunteering in north Gaza's al-Ahli Hospital. He said Al-Ahil Hospital was one of the last fully functional hospitals standing in Gaza but was severely lacking in medical supplies, including proper sanitisation and adequate anaesthesia. Israel has bombed it including in April, in what their military said was targeting a Hamas "command and control centre" — a claim denied by the group. Dr Mo said there were days when hospital staff only had one portion of rice or lentils to eat for the entire day. He'd stop eating altogether on some days to save and ration food for those in greater need. "I just wanted to work. I just wanted to be there to help. It wasn't a big issue to me whether I was full or not," he said. He said he was one of the lucky ones, when many of the people, including children, he saw were severely malnourished or "starving". In May in the lead-up to Israel deciding to allow a "basic amount of food" into Gaza , the United Nations World Food Programme warned populations across the Strip were at risk of famine. The World Health Organization also reported in May that the "entire 2.1 million population of Gaza is facing prolonged food shortages, with nearly half a million people in a catastrophic situation of hunger, acute malnutrition, starvation, illness and death. This is one of the world's worst hunger crises, unfolding in real time". "We do not need to wait for a declaration of famine in Gaza to know that people are already starving, sick and dying, while food and medicines are minutes away across the border," WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. Dr Mo pursued his medical training across Britain and Australia, saying he was driven by his commitment to human rights. In 2024 and 2025, he served in Gaza's Nasser and European hospitals, with Rahma Worldwide providing critical emergency care amid escalating violence. But it was his commitment to frontline care that drew him back to Gaza again, this time with the Palestinian Australian New Zealand Medical Association. His raw, live social media videos from inside emergency departments brought the devastation of the conflict to his tens of thousands of followers worldwide. "I documented my journey when I was in Gaza, and I was told that I wasn't allowed to do that, but I did it anyway because I just felt like it was a moral obligation," he said. Since he left Gaza, he's been busy. He was recently on the Freedom Flotilla with 12 activists, including Swedish activist, Greta Thunberg, just before the yacht set sail for Gaza to deliver aid, including baby formula, food, and medical supplies. "They were in tears, they were crying, they were scared. They were hugging their families goodbye. It was real," he told ABC's News Breakfast. Since then, Israeli forces intercepted the yacht and detained the activists. Ms Thunberg was then deported to her home country, Sweden, and six other crew members were also deported shortly after. Two French nationals remain in Israeli custody awaiting deportation on Friday, according to Adalah, a nonprofit legal association in Israel. Dr Mo said he had lost sleep, worried for their safety. He's also been making his case to Australian officials to back a children's hospital that would be led by governments, and non-government organisations. Dr Mo said the mobile children's hospital could look like an already set-up prototype in Jordan, which would include medical vans, with ICU units, pathology labs, run by solar power. He said it would be "historic" for the region and would help the Australian government step in and do something about the situation in Gaza. "But I need people to help me to save those lives." The hospital would only employ staff vetted by NGOs He said this would prevent suspicion of corruption or accusations that the hospital would be hiding weapons for Hamas — a claim often made by the Israeli military. Dr Mo said he's already met with Foreign Minister Penny Wong and other MPs to discuss the plans, who he said were "supportive" of the initiative. During a recent press conference, Ms Wong said she met with Dr Mo and said they, "talked at length" about the situation in Gaza. On Friday, Ms Wong announced Australia will send a further $10 million in urgent medical and nutrition supplies to Gaza to address the humanitarian crisis. "We need a new approach in Gaza. Governments need to get involved and need to work with NGOs to provide equipment [to hospitals], safety, and protection," he said. "We can no longer rely on the IDF or Israel's word to protect aid workers and we can't rely on them to allow aid in." Israel's Ministry of Defense was contacted for comment. Dr Mo described seeing "beyond catastrophic" wounds and injuries from bombing. "I'm seeing these mass casualty events as they arrive, we're bringing people up to the surgery, those that have stayed alive," he said. Sometimes he had to decide whether to treat an injured person on their last breath or a severely wounded person who may survive. Other times, the decision was already made for him. "If we managed to stabilise a patient in the ED, the amount of work that they would need in the operating room and intensive care, we just don't have the capacity," he said. "Sometimes, [I think] it's better if they died than to live with those horrific injuries." He will never forget the children that he had to let succumb to their severe injuries. "There's a lot that stays with you. It's hard because when you talk about it, you rethink the experience," he said. "It hit me the other day when I heard a loud bang. I don't know whether it was someone knocking over the bins or someone throwing a rock at a window, but it really, really startled me and it gave me a bit of a panic." The United Kingdom, France, Canada and other Western allies have threatened sanctions against Israel over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to allow "minimal" humanitarian aid into Gaza. While Australia has not signed up to the joint threat, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has described Israel's actions as "completely unacceptable". "It is outrageous that there is a blockade of food and supplies to people who are in need in Gaza," Mr Albanese said. "People are starving. The idea that a democratic state withholds supply is an outrage." Dr Mo welcomed the shift in the narrative, saying it "doesn't become self-defence anymore" when children were starving and the United Nations estimates about 70 per cent of structures have been damaged or destroyed in Gaza. Israel launched its offensive on Gaza after Hamas crossed its border on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages back to the Strip, according to Israeli authorities. The Gaza Health Ministry estimates 55,104 Palestinians have been killed and 127,394 have been injured since the Israel-Gaza war erupted on October 7, 2023. "If we can give Israeli hostages the humanity and grace that they deserve, then surely we should be giving [Gaza's] children the exact same.
Khaleej Times
06-06-2025
- Health
- Khaleej Times
Gaza: UAE medical mission members perform Eid Al Adha prayers at field hospital
Members of the UAE medical mission working at the Emirati field hospital in the Gaza Strip performed the Eid al-Adha prayer side by side with the people of the Strip, in an atmosphere filled with faith and patience, as the chants of Eid rose, blended with prayers for love and peace, bringing light and hope to the place despite the wounds. The hospital witnessed a special spiritual atmosphere on the morning of Eid, reflecting the deep bond of human brotherhood between the people of the UAE and their Palestinian brothers. The Emirati medical and nursing staff shared in the joy of the people of Gaza, reaffirming their commitment to continuing their humanitarian duty. On this occasion, the Palestinian people expressed their deep appreciation for the efforts of the United Arab Emirates and its wise leadership, extending their highest congratulations to His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and to the Emirati people.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'Meant to be': Oklahoma cardiologist treats man's heart attack symptoms mid-flight
An Oklahoma cardiologist had a full circle moment when a Dutch man complained of chest pains on their shared flight. Dr. TJ Trad, a cardiologist at Stillwater Medical Center and founder of the nonprofit Cura for the World Foundation, was traveling home from a medical mission trip in Uganda when he was awoken on the flight to Amsterdam, CNN reported. A man was complaining of chest pain and needed a doctor, he was told by a nurse on his team. Trad found the man drenched in sweat, and he asked the doctor, "Am I going to die?" "Not today," Trad told him before getting to work. Trad had the medications needed to treat a heart attack on hand — including nitroglycerin, Aspirin, Plavix, metoprolol and lisinopril — part of the around two dozen medications he carries with him on medical mission in case anyone on his team has an emergency. But Trad, 43, also had a pocket-sized electrocardiogram, which he carries with him since having his own heart scare last year. One February morning in 2024, just days before he was scheduled to fly to Uganda for a planned medical mission trip, Trad said he was doing a procedure on a patient when he began having chest pain. He was experiencing an 80% blockage in one of his arteries — he had a stent placed that same day and canceled his trip to Uganda. As a way to mark the one year anniversary of his cardiac scare, Trad finished the climb to Everest Base Camp at the beginning of March. "I believe that everything happens for a reason, as cliche as that might sound," Trad said. "Maybe the event that occurred a year ago was the nidus for me to be on that specific plane to help that specific person. Every time, let's say something negative or positive happens, it's good to kind of sit back and reflect on what's the downstream effect of that? So yeah, I feel like we were meant to be on that flight to help." Not only does Trad believe he was meant to be on the flight to help the Dutch man, but he has the same sense regarding the trip to Uganda. While on their trip, Trad met an 8-month-old girl with a 7.8 millimeter ventricular septal defect. The funds have already been raised to cover her heart surgery, which should be taking place soon, he said. "What are the chances that a cardiologist would appear at that specific time in her life ... it's one of those things," Trad said. "It's not a coincidence." The man on the plane told Trad his chest pain, on a scale of 1 to 10, was a 10. It was a pain Trad had warned his patients about, but also one he had felt himself. About 15 minutes after Trad gave him medication, the man's chest pain was gone. But the doctor and nurse continually monitored his symptoms, checking his heart rhythm every five to 10 minutes for the duration of the flight. "After his symptoms subsided, I told the pilot, 'We bought time to get to Amsterdam so that he can go to the hospital there,'" Trad said. CNN reported that the man was examined for 12 hours at the hospital and was not diagnosed with a heart attack, stroke or pulmonary embolism — possibly as a result of Trad's treatment of the patient. Before going their separate ways, the man's wife told Trad, "You're our angel in the sky." This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma doctor treats heart attack symptoms on flight home from Uganda
Arab News
19-05-2025
- Health
- Arab News
Pakistan Hajj mission delivers vital health care to pilgrims with over 300 staffers
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Hajj Medical Mission (PHMM), which comprises over 300 doctors and paramedics, has treated more than 11,000 pilgrims in Makkah and Madinah over the past three weeks, the PHMM head said on Sunday. This year's Hajj is expected to take place between June 4 and June 9, with nearly 112,620 Pakistanis set to perform the annual pilgrimage. Of these, approximately 89,000 will travel under the government scheme, while 23,620 will go through private tour operators. 'The Pakistan Hajj Medical Mission 2025 consisted of 301 doctors and paramedical staff from both civilian and armed forces backgrounds, including 72 lady doctors and female health workers,' Col. Dr. Shaheer Jamal, the PHMM director, told Arab News over the phone from Makkah. 'We have treated over 11,194 pilgrims so far and are currently attending to an average of about 2,000 pilgrims daily in Makkah and 40 in Madinah, mostly suffering from dehydration.' The mission includes medical specialists, surgeons, cardiologists, orthopedic specialists, gynecologists, dermatologists, ENT specialists, psychiatrists, pharmacists, public health specialists and physiotherapists, according to Dr. Jamal. It has established two hospitals, one each in Makkah and Madinah, along with nine dispensaries in Makkah and two in Madinah. 'Separate wards of 30 beds each had been established for men and women in the central hospital in Makkah, while in Madinah, a small hospital with 11 beds was set up,' he said, adding that their teams were working in three shifts to provide 24/7 care to pilgrims. Other departments at the mission include emergency, isolation ward, pharmacy, pathology, minor OT, dental, and radiology, the official added. For patients needing further medical assistance, Dr. Jamal said, the mission had reached an agreement with the Saudi German Hospital which has been treating Pakistani pilgrims both in Makkah and Madinah. 'So far, we have referred 30 patients to the Saudi German Hospital in Makkah and Madinah,' he shared. The PHMM chief said the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and the Ministry of Health have extended full support in the establishment of the hospitals and the transfer of medicines and medical equipment to the Kingdom. He said all medicines had been tested before being brought to Saudi Arabia and were being provided to pilgrims free of cost. The medical plan for the core Hajj days in Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah will follow a multi-layered approach, according to the official. Saudi health authorities will assume primary responsibility of providing comprehensive health care services to all pilgrims. 'However, to support Pakistani pilgrims specifically, the Pakistan Hajj Medical Mission deployed its own medical staff in Mina with the first aid kits to provide initial medical assistance, ensuring timely primary care before referring patients to larger Saudi facilities, if needed,' Dr. Jamal said. Due to extreme weather conditions, the mission has proactively prepared and is disseminating educational materials specifically designed to guide pilgrims on how to prevent heatstroke and other heat-related illnesses. 'This guidance includes advice on hydration, appropriate clothing, recognizing symptoms, and seeking timely medical help,' he said. The South Asian country launched its Hajj flight operation on Apr. 29, which will continue till May 31.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
A man had heart attack symptoms on a flight. A cardiologist and a pocket-sized tool on board may have helped save his life
Oklahoma cardiologist Dr. TJ Trad was fast asleep on his flight from Uganda last month when a member of his team woke him up to say someone needed a doctor. Trad rushed over to the passenger who needed help to find a man drenched with sweat and complaining of chest pain. The man looked at the doctor and anxiously asked, 'am I going to die?' 'Not today,' Trad told the man. He believed that the man in front of him was having a heart attack – pain the doctor was intimately familiar with after surviving one just last year. Trad also knew he had the tools that might help save the man's life if it was a heart attack: medication and medical devices he had on him because he was flying home from a medical mission trip in Uganda with Cura for the World – an organization he founded that builds clinics in areas of need. He also had a pocket-sized electrocardiogram, or ECG – something he never leaves home without after his own heart attack. The device, about the size of a credit card, would be a crucial tool in understanding the man's symptoms. Now he just had to get to work. It was three hours into the April 29 KLM flight to Amsterdam when Trad was thrust into emergency response mode. The patient said that on a scale of one to 10, his chest pain was at a 10. 'Do we land right now?' Trad recalled the man's wife nervously asking. Trad realized the first step was to calm down the Dutch couple, nearby passengers and flight crew. 'I think our training is so extensive that you almost get trained to be the captain of the ship and to calm everyone around you,' he said. Trad then created a makeshift emergency room across a row of airplane seats, laid the man down with airplane pillows and propped his feet up to bring blood back to his heart. After ruling out blood sugar and blood clot complications, the doctor used a 12-lead ECG from the medical mission trip to assess whether the man was having a heart attack. He quickly gave him five medications typically used to treat heart attacks. Trad then used his personal ECG – an electrocardiogram that measures the heart's electrical activity – to help monitor the man's heart for abnormal beats, or arrhythmias. Trad has kept the device, a KardiaMobile card, in his wallet ever since his heart attack last year in case he has another cardiac event. 'The later manifestation of a heart attack is an arrhythmia. That's how people die,' Trad explained. Although the 12-lead ECG was crucial to confirm the man was showing symptoms of a heart attack, the doctor said the card allowed him to continually monitor for arrhythmias in the three hours that followed. The man put his thumbs on the card, and it transmitted data on his heart activity to Trad's app via Bluetooth. Within 45 minutes after he took the medication, the man's chest pain and heart rate started to get better, the doctor said. Trad's own heart attack had prevented him from going on his medical mission trip to Uganda in February 2024, leading him to go on a make-up trip that put him on the same plane as the man he helped save. The doctor said his heart attack led to him being in the right place at the right time. 'I believe everything happens for a reason, I truly do,' he said. During the ordeal, the pilot asked if they should divert the flight to Tunisia after speaking with the KLM on-ground physician, but Trad assured the crew that the patient was stable enough to make it to Amsterdam. 'We had a nurse that was taking his vitals every 10 to 15 minutes… and we had him hooked up to all these things… if we would have landed in Tunisia, they wouldn't have done anything differently other than obviously taking him to get a heart cath,' Trad said, referring to the catheterization procedure that allows doctors to examine or treat the heart and coronary arteries. The man was stable throughout the remaining two hours of the flight. His chest pain returned as the plane was about to land, but additional medication resolved it, Trad said. The man's wife told CNN that Trad and a nurse helped prevent her husband's condition from getting worse and did an 'unforgettable job.' Once they landed, the man thanked the doctor and his wife hugged him 'very, very tight.' 'She said that you're our angel in the sky,' Trad recalled. KLM told CNN the plane landed safely at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, where an ambulance was waiting to take the man to a nearby hospital. The man's wife said he is doing reasonably well considering the traumatic event. The hospital examined him for 12 hours and did not diagnose him with a heart attack, stroke or pulmonary embolism, she told CNN. Trad believes this could be because of his timely treatment of the patient. After having to cancel his Uganda trip last year because of his own heart attack, Trad said that helping save this man feels like a full circle moment for him. He told the man it was a pleasure taking care of him and wished him the best before he ran to catch his connecting flight home.
