Traumaversorgung – eine globale Herausforderung : Erfahrungen aus einem Zentrum urbaner Gewalt in Nigeria (Berufspolitisches Forum)

Internal fixation of fractures is an integral part of health care. However this is a privilege of the developed world. For humanitarian aid internal fixation has always been considered as too prone to infection given the poor hygienic conditions, too specialized, too costly and the infrastructure of so-called developing countries too weak to perform internal fixation successfully. Due to the globally increasing density of road traffic an alarming increase in victims of road traffic accidents can be observed. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that in 2030 road traffic accidents will be responsible for twice as many deaths as caused by HIV/AIDS.Road traffic accidents are considered to be the new global epidemic. Since the victims are generally young, their rehabilitation has not only a humanitarian, but also an economic impact for low-income countries. The organization Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres; MSF) is not only providing surgical care for victims of violence in war and conflict regions, but has expanded its portfolio to include victims of road traffic accidents and started to perform internal fixation under good hygienic circumstances in closed fractures. The following is a report about the work in a hospital for surgical trauma care in Port Harcourt, Nigeria where victims of road traffic accidents are treated besides victims of urban violence.