| “Nine out of 10 war casualties are civilians”: Gino Strada, conflict zones surgeon |
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| Written by Giovanna Tassi / Washington’s Voz | |
| Saturday, 04 November 2006 | |
 Gino Strada is an Italian doctor specialist in cardiosurgery and a war surgeon. He is also a big fan of the Inter soccer team. He is the founder of Emergency, a Humanitarian organization that started out in Milan, Italy. Now, after 16 years and 1 million 8 hundred thousand healed patients, Emergency is finding its way in the United States. Strada was recently in Washington DC to attend a few invitations. One of his published books can be found in the shelves of the area bookstores: “Green Parrots: a war surgeon’s diary.” Washington’S Voz talked to him. Washington Voz (WV): What is Emergency? Gino Strada (GS): Emergency is a noun and an adjective. We work to give support to the civilian wars casualties. WV: Where does Emergency operate? GS: We work in Iraq, Afganistán, Camboya, Sierra Leona, Nicaragua, and Sudan. We intervene in war zones with top quality medical centers, nothing mediocre. Medicine is built from up above to down below, and not the other way around. I am a surgeon who believes that health is a fundamental human right, and as such it should not be involved in the business of making economical profits. The word Health should have the substraction sign before it. We can’t think of Health as a business, because it is neither ethical nor scientific. The Health business has killed science and investigation. More over, to charge for something that is a right, even if it is a small portion, creates a tough relationship that can backfire against the beneficiary. WV: You said you are currently working in Sudan, ¿What are you specifically doing? GS: In Sudan we have rebuilt an operating room in Darfur, which is now controlled by the Government. In the surroundings of Kartoum, where more than 2 million people live in terrible conditions, we have built a pediatric hospital and are finishing the construction of a cardiosurgey specialized center. This last project illustrates the evolution of Emergency. We continue to provide support to the wars civilian victims, but there is also a need of finding free solutions to health problems, as we have already said. WV: Why has Emergency decided to come to the U.S.? GS: This is a nation with great potentials and we think it is time to reproduce Emergency’s experience in other countries. Now we have the status of a Non for Profit Organization, which will help us find people willing to collaborate with our project. At the same time, we want to strengthen alliances with universities and to find volunteers for our hospitals. WV: How is war seen from the operating room? GS: It is an objective observatory. One chilling truth can be seen from there: The victims who get there in pieces. There are no bad guys nor good guys. The worst part is that 9 out of 10 casualties are civilians. WS: A Turkish proverb says that blood is washed with water, not with blood. What do you think? GS: Indeed, in the operating room blood is washed with hydrogen peroxide. I believe that who supports war, who defends it, who celebrates it, has an undeveloped brain. WS: Alter 16 years with Emergency and 19 years as war physician, how do you feel? Are you hopeful? GS: I have received much more than what I have given as doctor. I have grown culturally, humanely, and spiritually. I continue being a doctor who lives the hope from the practical standpoint: There is hope as long as there is cure. Emergency receives donations from individuals, private companies and local governments. Last year’s budget was 13 million 500 thousand euros. Only 5% was used for administrative costs. For more information see www.emergencyusa.org |
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