Ekaterina Zagainova, a doctor from the city of Podolsk, Moscow Region, recently returned from Syria, where she worked for the humanitarian mission of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) for two months. The organization sends its representatives to hot spots, where they provide assistance to victims of military conflicts and natural disasters. recorded Catherine's story about how the work of medical rescuers works, whether everyone is taken as a volunteer, and why missionaries in Muslim countries have to cover their heads.

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My specialty is an anesthesiologist-resuscitator. I studied at the medical institute. She completed her residency ten years ago. And then for seven years she worked in various hospitals both in Moscow and in the Moscow region. Once on the Internet I saw an advertisement for the recruitment of volunteers and sent an application. I have always shared humanitarian ideas.

Not only doctors are accepted into projects. Various specialists are required: logistics, accountants, coordinators, financiers. A doctor can apply if he has at least two years of work experience after graduation. But as far as I remember, they include residency in the length of service - vocational training for graduates after graduation. I think that all medical specialties are in demand. In the top three most scarce: surgeons, anesthesiologists, obstetricians-gynecologists. There is also a great need for nurses.

From applicants, in addition to professional skills, knowledge is required in English not lower than Intermediate (medium). The higher the level, the better. Another plus would be knowledge of French, Arabic.
I applied in April, the interview was at the end of May. And in September she left Moscow on her first mission. MSF has over a hundred projects in different countries Oh. But employees usually do not choose where to go. Distribution occurs in accordance with where what specialists are needed.

My first mission is Jordan. It was a project to help victims of the conflict in Syria. But in general it was a peaceful point. Military planes did not fly over our heads, bombs did not explode, that is, everything was relatively calm. I stayed in Jordan for three months, then returned to Russia, from where I left for Syria for two months. Our camp was based in the north of the country, in the part where Raqqa is located.

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I worked in the intensive care unit. Besides me, there were no more Russian-speakers there. Colleagues did not care where I came from - from Russia or from England. There, everyone has absolutely friendly relations with everyone, it does not depend on nationality or citizenship. People from literally all over the world worked in Syria: from Canada, France, Italy, China, the Philippines, India. They don't even ask who's from where. All as one team. There were no language problems. We talked in English.

In professional terms, there were also no special difficulties. There were unusual cases that a doctor in Moscow is unlikely to encounter. For example, in Syria, a one-year-old child was once brought with poisoning. Parents said they found a scorpion on the clothes. The baby was immediately placed in intensive care, then transferred to a regular ward. Out of habit it is difficult to navigate in the exotic. It saved us that local doctors and nurses worked with us, they helped a lot.

A humanitarian project is usually organized in the form of a pyramid. There are expats - these are visiting specialists. But we have a lot of employees and among the locals. Visitors organize and supervise the work of colleagues. There are many patients. There were days when five or seven heavy people arrived. For small town it is significant. Many victims of explosions. These are people accidentally stepping on mines left over from past military conflicts. There are victims car accidents, motorcyclists.

"Doctors without Borders" is the only organization that provided in this city medical care, including its complex types - for example, surgical operations. There are, of course, private hospitals, but not all patients are able to pay.

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In Moscow, in unforeseen situations, if necessary, you can always call somewhere, consult with colleagues from other hospitals, and convene a council. A medical camp in Syria is practically military surgery. We cannot rely on high-tech research methods. When making a diagnosis, doctors rely on their knowledge and clinical data, personal feelings, and intuition. I can say that our drug supply was at the level. Minimal equipment was also available: X-ray, ultrasound. The blood test could be done in the laboratory. But high-tech equipment, of course, was absent. There was also nowhere to get a CT scanner.

In such conditions, doctors have to pay much more attention to the usual examination of the patient, to monitor him. If I had unstable patients in intensive care and had some concerns about them, then I came to the hospital even during non-working hours to see how the situation was developing. In terms of medical experience, such conditions are indispensable. Expat doctors communicated with patients through assistants - local volunteers. Each doctor was assigned a personal translator, who was with him almost all the time.

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In Syria, a separate house was rented for mission staff. In Jordan, by the way, there was also a house. But if in Jordan everyone had a separate room, in Syria they lived in twos. But that didn't bother anyone. In general, all missions have different living conditions. Some Doctors projects last for years. For example, in South Sudan they are even building houses for employees.

The locals treated us well. The hospital staff practically became our friends. And on the street, foreign doctors caused a sensation. Children ran up to us, smiled, said hello, asked to be photographed. Once a girl of seven or eight years old came up to me and just gave me a bouquet of flowers. It was very nice.

When participating in missions, I did not have a sense of real danger. Naturally, mission personnel take certain precautions. Since we travel to zones of military conflicts, natural disasters, we have to live by the rules. But in general, this does not mean that we are working under bullets. Usually, "Doctors", when they start a project in any country, conduct negotiations with all participants in the conflict. Our organization maintains neutrality - that is, we offer medical assistance to all participants in the conflict, regardless of their political affiliation.

Mission members are prohibited from carrying weapons. We even have an identification mark - a crossed-out machine gun. We put it on cars. In addition, mission personnel are prohibited from wearing camouflage clothing.

In terms of security, all countries are different. In Somalia, MSF was forced to end its presence. Recently, a colleague who worked in Central Africa said that doctors can only go to the villages to pick up the sick on certain roads. You can’t turn off even if you know that the path over there is half as long. This may not be safe.

In all missions, even the most peaceful ones, there are instructions on how to act in unforeseen situations. There is an evacuation plan. I heard that in one of the missions in Sudan, even a cat is included in this plan, which has been living with doctors for eight years. If the situation in the country escalates, everyone rushes off their seats, the cat must be taken with you.

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Projects vary in duration. I spent two months in Syria. This is a short mission because the environment is tense. Doctors live in isolation. They cannot freely walk around the city, go somewhere. Let's say you can't take a day off and go on an excursion, see nature. You are always in one place, psychologically it is hard. But there are missions lasting six months, a year, there are several years. Much depends on the specialty of the employee. Administrative workers, because they have less emotional activity, can stay on the project longer. Mission work is paid. But I would not say that this is a lot of money, for which it is worth breaking immediately. You don't have to count pennies, but nothing fabulous.

Photo courtesy of MSF press office

All mission members are given instructions before they travel. They are slightly different for different countries, but there are basic requirements. For example, a set of vaccinations. For each state - its own. Without a vaccination certificate, you simply will not be allowed to work. There are recommendations for appearance. It all depends on the cultural characteristics of the countries. In Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, women need to cover their heads, for example. This does not mean that we wore hijabs there, we just tied a scarf on our heads.

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I don't know how long I will drive like this. While everyone likes it, and there are forces. We have a colleague in our organization who has been working in humanitarian missions for 20 years. I returned from Syria in May. I'm going on my next trip in early August. Approximately - in Central Africa.

For those who are thinking whether to go or not to go, I can only say that this is a very interesting job. You meet a lot of things that you never thought you would encounter. It broadens the horizons and raises the professional level. you interact with different cultures and you can visit such corners of the world where you would never go on your own. A huge plus is that the work brings great moral satisfaction. You work with people for whom you are practically the only hope. You feel wanted and needed. It's great to see the changes that you bring.

The Russian Ministry of Defense is outraged by the comment of the press service of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) regarding Aleppo.

Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, spokesman for the department, said: "The death of any medical personnel who arrive to help children suffering in any conflict has more than one dimension." According to him, this is not only a violation of international law or the gravest criminal offense - this is also the "moment of truth", and in relation to such crimes, you can understand who you are dealing with.

Earlier, in response to a request from a Russian news agency for comment on the death of Russian doctors in Aleppo, the International Committee of the Red Cross said: “The ongoing attacks on medical and civilian infrastructure in Aleppo indicate that all parties to the conflict are unable to fulfill their duty to respect and protect healthcare workers, patients and hospitals…”

Major General Konashenkov stressed that the International Committee of the Red Cross, whose president recently visited the Russian Ministry of Defense, is well aware of the kind of assistance Russia provides to civilians in Aleppo, including medical assistance. AT this case this is not about the violation of international humanitarian law by the "parties to the conflict", as the ICRC report says, but about the cold-blooded murder of doctors prepared in advance by militants.

The official representative of the Russian Ministry of Defense stressed that it was only by a lucky chance that at the time of the shelling, dozens of Syrian children with mothers who had arrived from the eastern regions of Aleppo liberated from militants were not in the admissions department of the Russian military field hospital. Civilians escaped mass deaths in the emergency department due to a delay in the delivery of buses, according to the Department of Information and Mass Communications of the Russian Defense Ministry. "We expected at least the respect of the ICRC for the activities of our doctors in Aleppo and the condemnation of the actions of the militants of the so-called "opposition", but received cynical comments that are not worthy of the high status of the International Committee of the Red Cross and testify not to the objectivity of approaches, but to indifference to the murder of Russian doctors in Aleppo," Igor Konashenkov said.

As reported, the day before, as a result of a direct hit by a mine fired by militants, a Russian medical soldier was killed in the emergency department of a Russian mobile military hospital deployed in Aleppo, and two more medical workers were seriously injured. One of the wounded soldiers subsequently died. suffered and locals, who arrived at the appointment with doctors, reminds

Pediatrician Vadim Arsentyev, who was wounded during the shelling of a field hospital in the Syrian Aleppo, is in a stable condition. According to the press service of the Ministry of Defense, he will be delivered to Russia to one of the central military hospitals. His colleagues Galina Mikhailova and Nadezhda Durachenko, who died during the shelling, will be buried in their homeland, in Birobidzhan.

Doctors fought for the life of Vadim Arsentiev for a day, notes. In the evening we decided to move. From Aleppo, a seriously wounded man was taken by helicopter to Khmeimim. There, on Russian base The doctors did everything possible - they performed the most difficult operation. As a result, the critical patient was transferred to a stable condition. At this news, the Kirov Military Medical Academy breathed a little more freely. In St. Petersburg, they watched TV attentively. And from the first frames we understood who was lying on the operating table. Colleagues recognized the professors of the Department of Children's Diseases by using a stethoscope.

"We are very worried. Vadim Gennadievich is the chief pediatrician of the Ministry of Defense. And he is aware of the general pediatric service throughout Russia. And naturally, when the problem arose about helping the children of Syria, he was sent there to Syria," said Tatyana, deputy head of the Clinic for Children's Diseases Platonov.

“The chief pediatrician could exercise his leadership from afar. But, apparently, his character, his responsibility did not allow him to send someone else there. And he went himself,” said Olga Bulygina, head of the children's office at the Clinic for Children's Diseases.

It was not the first time that Vadim Arsentiev worked in Aleppo. In autumn, he already came to Syria to examine children with congenital pathologies. He brought the most severe patients to St. Petersburg. For examination.

“We selected them according to the indications of the need and possibility of hospitalization, taking into account the profile of our clinic,” said Arsentiev.

Was taken out by Vadim Arsentiev and families. Jemal has epilepsy, Sevar has hearing loss. My brother and sister were diagnosed from birth. They should be observed by doctors constantly. But the war in Syria has deprived little patients of qualified assistance.

"We became very close to him. He was almost like a father for my children. He was very attentive: as a doctor, and just as a person," Ismail Fadel, the father of the children, shared.

The fact that their Russian doctor was seriously wounded, the Fadel family learned from the news.

The artillery bombardment was not accidental. The militants, the military say, knew exactly where to aim to kill civilians. One mine exploded very close to the medical center, the next one hit the emergency department. The fragments scattered several hundred meters. There was practically no chance of survival for those who were inside. The nurse died on the spot. Another medical woman died a few hours later. Sergeant Nadezhda Durachenko was considered among her colleagues to be the most experienced operating room nurse. About the anesthesiologist Galina Mikhailova they said "she has golden hands." Therefore, when a mobile medical team was assembled, its candidacy was considered among the first. Both women have already been in Syria this year. Worked in the war zone for 3 months. They immediately agreed to this business trip - there is a shortage of highly qualified doctors in Aleppo. There is a particular shortage of experienced nurses and mine injury specialists. So they explained their decision to the children. Nadezhda Durachenko has a daughter, Galina Mikhailova has a son. Doctors will be buried at home, in Birobidzhan.

“Risking their lives, Russian servicemen are doing everything to help the Syrian army in the fight against terrorists, to save the lives of civilians. Colonel Ruslan Viktorovich Galitsky was seriously wounded the day before as a result of shelling by terrorists. Let us honor their memory with a minute of silence," the head of state said.

"I ask the Ministry of Defense of all our comrades to receive state awards and do everything to support their loved ones in difficult times," the Supreme Commander said.

"The direct duty of the command staff is to take into account as much as possible the experience of the military operation in Syria in further work on military construction, on equipping the army and navy with promising models of weapons and equipment. It is important to raise the level of training of troops, the quality of the performance of combat training tasks," the president said.

These and other areas of work will be discussed at the annual board of the Ministry of Defense at the end of December.

The President also highly appreciated the work of the FSB. "One of the most important tasks of the year, which is to ensure security during the preparation and conduct of elections in State Duma 7th convocation,” he stressed. “During the 10 months of 2016, thanks to the FSB, more than 30 terrorist crimes were prevented, including 10 terrorist acts,” Vladimir Putin also noted.

"Society expects a significant return from the work of the internal affairs bodies. Among the priorities are a ruthless fight against crime and corruption, improving road safety," the president said.

Among the key areas of work of the prosecutor's office are supervision over the observance of the rule of law in social sphere. "Including the need to keep on constant control issues related to timely payment wages and benefits," the head of state instructed.

Putin also noted the important role Investigative Committee responsible for investigating dangerous types of crimes. "I expect that the employees of the TFR will effectively perform their tasks and prepare a verified evidence base for issuing objective, fair judgments", he remarked.

“It is important for the Federal Penitentiary Service to strictly comply with the requirements for the conditions of detention of convicts, never forget that they are stumblers, but also citizens of Russia. modern technologies", - set the task of the head of state.

A nurse, as they said a hundred years ago, a sister of mercy, is the backbone of any hospital in any war. It is she who provides first aid, bandages, cares and nurses. And, as a rule, it is the nurses who are the first of the staff to fall under enemy bullets and shrapnel. About the inadequate reaction of the so-called democratic community - our correspondent Yulia Seferinkina:

The place where the mobile hospital of the Russian Ministry of Defense was quartered yesterday is now ashes. There were two blows - the first mine exploded near the emergency department, the second hit right in the tent where our doctors were working at that moment.

Vladimir Savchenko, Head of the Russian Center for the Reconciliation of Warring Parties in the SAR, Lieutenant General:“The hospital was ready for work, the medical staff were in their places. The first visitors arrived, they are residents of Eastern Aleppo.”

One of the nurses died immediately, the other died a few hours later. Both of them came here from Birobidzhan to save people. Both of them had children at home. Colleagues of the dead women are now trying to recover from the shock.

Ruslan Guzeev, head of the medical unit:“Men feel fine, but women are depressed. Moreover, the loss of friends, it always affects.

As a result of the vile attack, another doctor was seriously injured. Pediatrician Vadim Arsentiev, who works at the Military Medical Academy in St. Petersburg. Two weeks ago, we filmed it for a report on Syrian children who are being treated in the northern capital. Vadim Gennadievich personally brought them from Syria. This time I again went to a hot spot to treat children who have not received help for years because of the war.

Now Vadim Arsentiev is being taken to the main clinical hospital named after Burdenko. The doctor was delivered to Moscow by a military transport aircraft equipped with a special medical module. The Defense Ministry says his condition is stable.

A destroyed field hospital in eastern Aleppo barely had time to quarter when militants attacked it. From a bird's eye view, you can see how accurate the attack was. Our military has no doubt that the militants knew the coordinates of the mobile hospital. The official representative of the Ministry of Defense, Igor Konashenkov, spoke about this the day before.

Igor Konashenkov, official representative of the RF Ministry of Defense:“We understand from whom the militants received the coordinates. All responsibility for the murder and injury of our doctors who provided assistance to the children of Aleppo lies not only with the direct perpetrators. That is, the militants of the "opposition". The blood of our servicemen lies on the hands of those who ordered this murder.”

I'm talking about the US, of course. Western Europe, where they don’t like everything that Russia is doing in Syria and where, trying to get rid of the Assad regime, they actually cover terrorism.

The reaction of these countries to the destruction of our hospital looks rather duplicitous. They are just silent. But every time a shell hit a Syrian hospital, no more than an hour passed, and the Western authorities were in a hurry to name the culprit. They, of course, always turned out to be Russia. But as soon as it touched our doctors and our hospital, eloquence disappeared somewhere.

Mark Toner, U.S. State Department spokesman:“We condemn any shelling, from whatever side it may be. From the opposition or regime forces. I think our official position on this issue is clear.”

All this very clearly shows how much the West really does not care about the situation in Syria. Peace on earth, drowning in blood, is certainly not in the scope of their primary interests.

Sergei Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation:“It is sad that Western countries, which boast of their concern for human rights and the humanitarian situation in Aleppo and in general in Syria, continue their line of supporting radicals and extremists.”

The eastern region of Aleppo, where the hospital was located, was liberated from militants thanks to Russian help. Now there is in full swing the clearing of roads and buildings so that people can return home. The United States, France and Great Britain do not provide any assistance.

Dmitry Peskov, press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation:“We are very sorry that, in fact, now the Russian side alone is trying to provide humanitarian assistance to those residents who are leaving eastern Aleppo, fleeing the captivity of militants. We would welcome a more active position of our Western partners in this context.”

Unexpectedly unpleasantly today there were speeches in the Red Cross as well. They called the attack on the hospital just a violation of international law. It sounds cynical, given that people died, and the hospital can no longer be restored - it has been completely destroyed.