Peculiarities of Modern Local Wars and Armed Conflicts and Problems of Medical Care in Prehospital Period

Summary. The aim of the study is to investigate the peculiarities of modern local wars and armed conflicts, their influence on the structure of sanitary and non-return losses among population on the basis of scientific publications analysis. It also aims to define the principal problems of organization and rendering medical aid to wounded, sick and injured under these conditions and to outline the possible ways of their solution. Materials and research methods Materials of research — domestic and foreign publications, which analyze modern local wars and armed conflicts and assess their striking effect on vital functions and vitality of population. Method of research — review-analytical. Results of the study and their analysis. The features of modern local wars and armed conflicts, their impact on the structure of combat and non-combat losses among the population are highlighted. The inefficiency of the present system of medical and evacuation measures for urgent and emergency medical indications in the prehospital period was presented, especially in the conditions of combat operations. There were defined both advantages and problems of wide and effective application of capabilities, forces and means of the Disaster Medicine Service and ambulance service for rendering first and medical (emergency and urgent) aid to the population in regions of military actions and in extreme situations. A variant has been suggested to combine forces and means of medical service of civil defense, ambulance and emergency medical service into a united universal branch system called “operative-tactical medicine” aimed at optimization and increase of effectiveness of medical aid rendering to population in prehospital period both in conditions of everyday activity and in extreme conditions of modern local wars, armed conflicts and other emergency situations.