Should Canada Deploy the DART to Africa?

[Army Guy]

_{you guys talk as if this was a common cold virus.....this is ebolya a virus with no cure no treatment, it has a mortality rate of 80 % or greater......and thses guys will be up to their chests in infected people all day 24 hours a day....until they either cure this lot or they die, or our dart or field hospital dies out...}

[Derek 2.0]

PHAP has a lab operating there. They could work together.

Again, DND is not trained, nor equipped to operate in such environments........

[Argus]

_{you guys talk as if this was a common cold virus.....this is ebolya a virus with no cure no treatment, it has a mortality rate of 80 % or greater......and thses guys will be up to their chests in infected people all day 24 hours a day....until they either cure this lot or they die, or our dart or field hospital dies out...}

And what do we do when there's a million and a half cases and the disease starts spreading into Canada through our enormous immigrant community?

[Argus]

Again, DND is not trained, nor equipped to operate in such environments........

I would suggest that if this is the case that would be because of incompetent and short-sighted planning.

[Derek 2.0]

_{you guys talk as if this was a common cold virus.....this is ebolya a virus with no cure no treatment, it has a mortality rate of 80 % or greater......and thses guys will be up to their chests in infected people all day 24 hours a day....until they either cure this lot or they die, or our dart or field hospital dies out...}

Exactly, and that is why the Government has stated they won't send DART......

[Derek 2.0]

And what do we do when there's a million and a half cases and the disease starts spreading into Canada through our enormous immigrant community?

Same thing we did with Aids.........or Nigeria did with Ebola.

[Derek 2.0]

I would suggest that if this is the case that would be because of incompetent and short-sighted planning.

Sure you would......of course the only real military with such a mandate is the US army.........

[Smallc]

People who don't have all that much knowledge of Medical PPE and procedures followed at every facility really seem to think they know a lot about it. A combined canadian team made up of personnel from DND and the Winnipeg Level 4 Lab (already operating in the region) would provide much needed medical resources, and with the right procedures and equipment (which we have) would keep our personnel safe as well.

[Army Guy]

Ebola is easily contained in such tents as it isn't an airborne virus. Further to that, standars treatment involves hydration and bacterial infection control. It makes people far far less likely to die.

If it is as easy as you say, why is it continuing to spead, why have medical pers died ....you say poor conditions....do you think those conditions are getting any better with a field hospital......or dart team.....canvess tents are canvess tents, they are not air conditioned.....maybe the medical sea cans are but they are not for storing patients......the tents are .....

and again i ask you why does these labs take such precautions when dealing with this virus....in such a controled enviroment.....in the field they have to deal with mobile patients puking, shitting, pissing themslefs daily....and all with a paper suit and paper mask and rubber gloves.....

[Smallc]

The conditions and equipment in Africa simply don't exist. It's a reality. Obama asked the world to do more. That conceivably means that we can.

[Derek 2.0]

People who don't have all that much knowledge of Medical PPE and procedures followed at every facility really seem to think they know a lot about it. A combined canadian team made up of personnel from DND and the Winnipeg Level 4 Lab (already operating in the region) would provide much needed medical resources, and with the right procedures and equipment (which we have) would keep our personnel safe as well.

The military, again does not have said equipment........which of course is the purview of PHAC........the Government has confirmed as much.

[Derek 2.0]

The conditions and equipment in Africa simply don't exist. It's a reality. Obama asked the world to do more. That conceivably means that we can.

Yes, money, medical equipment and trained professionals.........not found within the CF.

[Moonbox]

If this group doesn't treat trauma or do surgeries I would question what good it is in terms of medical relief for emergencies. If someone comes in after they break their arm during an earthquake do they offer to do a lab test for him and send him on his way or what? Seems a pretty poorly organized emergency group if this is the case, and I imagine that's why it rarely goes anywhere.

DART is there to ensure basic survival needs are met for people living in a disaster zone. They make sure that people are looked after when their critical infrastructure is compromised/destroyed/overloaded. That means basic medical relief, clean water and treating malnourishment, hypothermia, common infections etc.

An earthquake/flood/typhoon/tsunami often kills more people indirectly in the days/weeks after the disaster than when it originally hits. DART is there to provide relief for that.

Edited September 26, 2014 by Moonbox

[Smallc]

PHAC is an important part of any response. What they need there now is doctors. Cuba can step up to th plate, but we can't?

[Derek 2.0]

PHAC is an important part of any response. What they need there now is doctors. Cuba can step up to th plate, but we can't?

We have, by providing additional funding for professionals in this field.

[Argus]

PHAC is an important part of any response. What they need there now is doctors. Cuba can step up to th plate, but we can't?

Canadian army doctors apparently don't know how to deal with diseases.

[Derek 2.0]

Canadian army doctors apparently don't know how to deal with diseases.

That's correct.

[Smallc]

Yeah, apparently they never went to medical school.

I'll put it bluntly - many firefighters, trained with a few very basic courses could handle this - that's not even including the ones trained as operators or technicians for this very thing.

[Smallc]

That's correct.

Then they didn't go to medical school, or keep up any kind of training. Infection prevention and control is the very basic foundation of any medical facility.

[Derek 2.0]

Yeah, apparently they never went to medical school.

I'll put it bluntly - many firefighters, trained with a few very basic courses could handle this - that's not even including the ones trained as operators or technicians for this very thing.

What fire fighters are trained to treat people with Ebola? That's some FD.

[Smallc]

They are trained to prevent the spread of infection.

[Derek 2.0]

Then they didn't go to medical school, or keep up any kind of training. Infection prevention and control is the very basic foundation of any medical facility.

So we just need to send over GPs.......it's that easy? And your fire department

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2014/09/16/rest_of_world_finally_responding_to_west_africa_ebola_crisis.html

A spokesperson with the Department of Foreign Affairs, in an email sent the Star late Tuesday said there are currently no plans to send Canadian Armed Forces to Ebola-affected countries.

Amy Mills also noted that DART is deployed for “large-scale, rapid-onset natural disasters” at the request of affected countries and provides “primary (not quarantine/isolation) medical care” in addition to water purification and military engineering.

[Derek 2.0]

They are trained to prevent the spread of infection.

Well that's send the local fire departments over then

[Smallc]

I haven't asked for DART. I haven't suggested DART. What I was going is telling you hoe wrong you are in regards to training and equipment of medical and emergency response professionals.

[Smallc]

Well that's send the local fire departments over then

That would do no good at the treatment end, but it would certainly help to lessen the spread of the disease among first responders.