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| Victim Assistance Triage |
| July 2008 |
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In July, 2008, under AMAE coordination, a 2-day triage was held at the National Prosthetic Centre (NPC) in Tirana, where 45 landmine hotspot and Gerdec survivors were screened by medical specialists from Slovenia and the NPC. 30 survivors identified as having the most severe need for rehabilitation and/or prostheses are planned to be sent this year to the Slovenian Institute of Rehabilitation for treatment. This project is funded by the United States Department of State through the International Trust Fund for Demining and Victim Assistance. |
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EU Grant to Mine Action in Albania |
| August 2008 |
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The European Commission Delegation to Albania and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) signed a Grant Agreement in August 2008. Through this agreement, the EC will make available 500,000 Euro for the monitoring and coordination of mine action operations in Albania through the Albanian Mine Action Executive (AMAE), to the fulfillment of the obligations under the AP Mine Ban Convention. This funding will ensure so the continuation of the AMAE main functions supported by UNDP Albania from August 2008 to July 2010.
The EC funding comes under its CARDS programme and previous EC contributions to the Mine Action Programme under the same framework include the 2 million Euro "Technical Survey and Clearance" Project in 2004 and the 2,57 million Euro "Completion Project" in 2005.
The Albania's National Strategy for Integrated Border Management determines the border control issue as not only a very important aspect of National Security, but also as an obligation for Albania in the international arena, therefore the solution of the landmine problem in Northeast Albania is essential in achieving the strategy's overall goal of controlled and secure borders.
About 90% of mine dangerous areas in northeast Albania have been made safe and returned to the local communities as a result of clearance and survey operations. This project will further contribute to the achievement of the Programme's main goal to free Albania of landmines by 2010. |
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| AMAE Response to the Gerdec Tragedy |
| March 2008 |
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| Risk Education Activities in Gerdec |
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Children receiving Risk Education |
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On March 15, 2008, an explosion occurred at a munitions decommissioning facility in the village of Gerdec, approximately 15 km west of Tirana. The explosion resulted in 26 deaths and more than 300 persons injured, as well as damage to more than 3000 of the surrounding houses. Unexploded ammunitions and shell casings were cast up to 2.7 km on the ground surface area from the centre of the explosion. AMAE utilized its existing structure and areas of expertise in coordinating a response with the government to this tragedy, focusing in the mine action pillars of clearance, mine risk education, and victim assistance.
Technical advice for UXO clearance was provided from AMAE to the Albanian Armed Forces (AAF) in assessing the contaminated area and advising in how to proceed with clearance operations. AMAE coordinated with the International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance (ITF) for 2 equipped and specialized Danish Church Aid (DCA) battle area clearance (BAC) teams to be brought from Kukes region to the Gerdec site to join the AAF EOD teams in operations for a period of 6 weeks.
Mine risk education (MRE) was provided through the distribution of 4000 MRE leaflets and 2000 copies of the 'One Thousand and One Mines' comic book to schools and villages in the Gerdec region. Additionally under AMAE coordination, the Albanian Red Cross has been disseminating posters and leaflets in combination with delivering direct MRE presentations and filing of IMSMA incident report forms to be includes in the AMAE incident database. The Victims of Mines and Weapons Association (VMA) is also providing MRE for the period September 2008 - March 2009, through delivery of leaflets and direct presentations.
AMAE coordinated with the Military Hospital the needs for medicaments and prostheses for victims of the Gerdec explosion. Additionally, AMAE has coordinated to send three survivors of the Gerdec explosion to the Slovenia Institute of Rehabilitation for specialized treatment. |
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| Vocational Training of Mine/UXO Survivors |
| July 2008 |
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| During 2006-7, 20 mine/UXO survivors received vocational training and support in setting up businesses and 10 mine/UXO survivors attended summer school in computer and English language courses with VMA and EC support through UNDP. 16 of the 20 beneficiaries who underwent the vocational training have received small loans and support in setting up small businesses in their place of residence where they are currently working and supporting their family. This successful project is continuing for a second year in 2008-9 with funding provided by the US DoS through ITF and SIDA through UNDP. |
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| Prostheses Workshop and Rehabilitation Centre |
| June 2008 |
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| Prostheses Workshop Kukes |
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Physiotherapy Unit Kukes Hospital |
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The Kukes Hospital Prostheses Workshop was upgraded during 2007 with support from US DoS through ITF and the Handicap International (HI) and DfiD through UNDP and is now making its own prostheses. The hospital has employed two prosthetic/orthotic technicians for the workshop who are undergoing training to work as standardized category II level technicians. They are receiving technical support under the project "Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation phase I & II" in their work from technician specialists from HI, working in Prishtina and Skopje trained as category I, and are currently making lower limb prostheses for transtibial and transfemoral amputees. To date, the Kukes Hospital Prostheses Workshop is tending to the needs of approximately 15 amputees per month in both making, and repairing, prostheses.
Additionally, a Rehabilitation Centre was opened in the main wing of Kukes Hospital in October 2007, from which one physiotherapist and two rehabilitation assistants are working. The Rehabilitation Centre is fully equipped with support provided from the EC through UNDP and is being used on a regular basis fr5om the survivors and other people in need. |
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Mine Action Retreat |
| December 11-12, 2007 |
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Photo from the Mine Action Retreat
11-12 December 2007 |
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On 11-12 December 2007, the annual Mine Action Retreat was held at the "Eklipsi" Hotel near Tirana with participation from AMAE, DCA and VMA representatives.
The retreat served as a detailed analysis of priorities set and progress made during 2007 for all Mine Action components, with a specific focus on clearance operations. It provided the opportunity of fruitful discussion among the main Mine Action actors, while highlighting the lessons learned for the future in order to achieve the programme's main goal: to declare Albania Mine Free within 2010. |
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