It takes its name from Hippocrates, who revolutionized the concept of medicine and established it as a profession, the humanitarian operation of the Italian military contingent in Libya. The Minister of Defense, Roberta Pinotti together with the Foreign Minister, Paolo Gentiloni, presented her to the Foreign and Defense Committees of the Chamber and Senate.
"Today we are ready to start the deployment at the Misurata airport of a full field hospital with medical and nursing staff, including the necessary protection and logistic support, for a total of about 300 units - declared Minister Pinotti -. A humanitarian mission, which must be fairly timely".
As timely, the minister explained, it was the process that led to the decision to collaborate with Libya. On 8 August, in fact, the Libyan president Serraj had sent President Renzi the request for military hospital facilities to treat the wounded. Following this, on August 15th, the Defense had carried out a first sanitary survey to verify what is already present in Libya of health facilities and what is necessary, given the presence in Misrata of a hospital. On 23 August, a second reconnaissance and, following a specific request sent by the Libyan Minister of Defense to Pinotti, a liaison team was sent to the Libyan Ministry of Defense to coordinate technical and humanitarian activities.
Operation Hippocrates: division of units and activities
300 men divided into three units: the first, with a real health function, will be composed of 65 doctors and nurses; the second, composed of 135 men, will have the function of general logistic support (maintenance of vehicles and equipment, communications personnel, administrative management, organization and activity management); the third, consisting of 100 units (acting on three shifts), will be the Force Protection.
At the same airport in Misurata a C27-J will be deployed, an aircraft with strategic evacuation function, in case of need and a mission vessel will be stationed Safe Sea, already present off the Libyan coast, with additional support and protection duties.
In the very first initial phase, the hospital's operational capacity will guarantee triage, first aid with red code treatment, outpatient visits, stabilization and blood transfusions, the analysis laboratory, 12 beds and patient preparation for the eventual aero-medical evacuation with the relevant specialized team. Also in the initial phase, a support surgical team will be guaranteed, composed of six units, which will immediately join the team of Libyan doctors to increase the capacity of the Misurata hospital, which, despite having good operating rooms, does not have all the necessary specializations.
"The final capacity - concluded the minister - it will be reached after about three weeks and will provide, in addition to what was planned in the initial phase, hospitalization and treatment for up to 50 patients including two intensive care stays, treatment in first aid of red and yellow codes, imaging diagnostics, pharmacy and life-saving surgery. When fully operational, the field hospital will operate in full synergy and complementarity with the civilian Misrata hospital".
