Trauma injury kills more people every year than HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis (TB) combined. Despite this, it often takes a backseat when receiving research support, clinical funding, and policy change. Trauma disproportionally affects low- and middle-income countries with its far reaching effects beyond the walls of the hospital. In fact, in some countries like Colombia, severe traumatic injuries are sustained from many mechanisms including landmines, guerrilla and paramilitary warfare, homicide, and vehicular accidents.

 

As a member of the Global Initiative for Essential and Emergency Surgical Care at the World Health Organization, our guest today has worked extensively with partners from around the world to tackle multiple goals for trauma care system building such as addressing shortage of staff, lack of clinical management, and insufficient funding. His passion for neurotrauma has led him to work with both local and international supporters to promote advocacy and good communication through avenues such as social media. Join us as we talk with Dr Andres Rubiano, about his home country of Colombia, the intersection between politics and health, as well as the MEDITECH foundation which is working to create a coordinated and proactive network of responders to enact integral trauma care across the country.

Dr Andres Rubiano: Neurosurgeon, Member of the World Health Organization’s Trauma and Emergency Care Committee, Director of Meditech Foundation

 

Colombia

 

 

International vs local support, Communication and Social Media, Intersection between politics and health, Education training”

Dr. Andreas Rubiano is a Colombian neurosurgeon dedicated to clinical practice and research in trauma, emergency care, neurotrauma, and intensive care. He has worked in research on trauma care and the promotion of global health with international medical societies as a member of the Committee for Emergency Care and Trauma of the WHO since 2007. Dr. Rubiano participates in several research projects with the aim of developing capacity for trauma and neurotrauma care in low- and middle-income settings. Since 2005 he has served as the medical director, educator and researcher at the MEDITECH Foundation in Colombia, training EMTs and undergraduate and postgraduate MDs in advanced trauma care. Since 2007 he has participated in trauma quality improvement activities with WHO in low- and middle-income countries, especially in Latin American countries. In 2015 he began to collaborate with the Global Initiative for Essential and Emergency Surgical Care of the WHO, promoting safe surgical care for low- and middle-income countries.