In conflict-affected settings, saving lives is only the first step. Access to reconstructive surgery is essential to restore function, dignity, and social participation for survivors of severe injuries, blast wounds, and extensive burns. Modern warfare generates complex, long-term injuries as a result of explosions from air or drone strikes and shelling attacks. These patients overwhelm first-line healthcare systems, creating critical gaps in surgical resources and delaying essential interventions such as debridement, amputation, and tissue reconstruction.
Several examples illustrate the scale of reconstructive and rehabilitation needs in contemporary conflicts. Researchers from Duke University, Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London, and Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza found that as of May 2025, approximately 116,000 injuries were sustained in Gaza, with up to 46,000 requiring reconstructive surgery. In Ukraine, estimates suggest that over 50,000 war survivors require specialized reconstructive surgery. Broader rehabilitation data indicate that about 300,000 people have been registered with physical disabilities due to war-related injuries, highlighting both the immediate surgical burden and the long-term need for prosthetics, rehabilitation, and support for survivors to regain function and reintegrate into society.
Despite these immense needs, access to reconstructive surgical care remains extremely limited in many conflict-affected countries. The management of such patients requires a complex and coordinated continuum of care, from early identification and initial treatment to surgical intervention, prosthetic provision, rehabilitation, long-term follow-up, and sustainable financing.
A wide range of actors—including humanitarian organizations, healthcare professionals, local structures, and donors—are engaged across this continuum. However, these efforts are often fragmented, limiting their overall impact and leaving critical gaps in patient care.
Integrating reconstructive care into post-conflict and emergency health strategies is therefore crucial. This includes training first responders, establishing referral networks to specialized centers, and strengthening local surgical capacity.
This workshop aims to:
| 14.00 | Opening remarks
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| 14.15 | Field Perspectives. Presentations
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| 14.45 | Breakout Group Discussions
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| 15.30 | Coffee break and networking |
| 16.00 | Group Reporting & Next Steps |
| 16.45 | Closing Remarks
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Registration is free but mandatory
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