Relief and Treatment Measures of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran during the Earthquake in Turkey

Background and Aim: On February 6, 2023, at 04:17 Turkish time, a powerful and catastrophic earthquake of magnitude 7.8 on the Richter scale shook central and southern Turkey and northern and western Syria for 75 seconds, leaving widespread damage. In this heartbreaking natural disaster, thousands of Turkish citizens lost their lives, and thousands were injured. Relief efforts began with the immediate intervention of local and civilian forces in Turkey and continued with the assistance of foreign aid forces, including the Islamic Republic of Iran. The purpose of this study is to report on the planning, relief, and treatment measures carried out by the medical teams of the armed forces to help save the lives of the injured and provide suggestions for improving crisis management in current and future situations.
Methods: The present study used official field reports, literature reviews, and reference databases. First, the actions of the medical centers of the armed forces during the Turkish earthquake were investigated. By reviewing electronic sources, all available documents and articles related to similar medical actions in other countries were identified. After a multi-stage screening process, 20 documents were finally selected, and analysis was conducted after coding.
Results: All the actions of the medical centers of the armed forces in the Turkish earthquake incident, in providing optimal medical services to the wounded and injured due to this incident, were identified and presented.
Conclusion: Forecasting, planning, and periodic exercises in the country's hospitals, especially those of the armed forces, can save the lives of the injured and improve the treatment process in response to mission needs during unexpected incidents. These measures include pre-accident preparations, post-accident responses, intra-organizational and extra-organizational coordination and interactions, as well as effective periodic training and exercises, etc.