Surgery in Times of Conflict: Reflection of a Jordanian Surgeon in Afghanistan

In January 2002, the Jordanian military field hospital was established in Mazar-e-Sharif in Afghanistan to provide medical care to many Afghanis. The Jordanian Military represented by the Royal Medical Services (RMS), a leading health authority in Jordan, was responsible for the staffing, operations, and security of the hospital, while the U.S. military offered logistical support, including the delivery of up to 7,500 different medical supplies and training of the Jordanian Special Forces team to maintain security of the field hospital.In this paper a Jordanian surgeon, who is one of the authors (A.E) shares his experience lasting for 100 days in the Jordanian military field hospital in Afghanistan in 2003 and describes the challenges and strengths/ opportunities of such experience from facilities and resources available to medical staff and surgical treatment provided. In addition, the paper outlines the faced religious, cultural and ethical issues of performing surgery at times of conflict. The 100-day mission had demonstrated the pivotal role surgeons can play in providing essential care and surgical treatment to civilians at times of conflict. A well-organized mission with the right medical expertise can make a real difference in the lives of others and can overcome many logistical, cultural and ethical barriers faced during such hard times.