Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction Volume 10 Issue 2 The Journal of Mine Action Article 37 November 2006 Mine Victims Needs Assessment and Assistance Coordination Aziz Aliyev Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) Rauf Mamedov Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) Umud Mirzoyev International Eurasia Press Fund Siyab Mamedov International Eurasia Press Fund Follow this and additional works at: https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cisr-journal Part of the Defense and Security Studies Commons, Emergency and Disaster Management Commons, Other Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons, and the Peace and Conflict Studies Commons Recommended Citation Aliyev, Aziz; Mamedov, Rauf; Mirzoyev, Umud; and Mamedov, Siyab (2006) "Mine Victims Needs Assessment and Assistance Coordination," Journal of Mine Action : Vol. 10 : Iss. 2 , Article 37. Available at: https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cisr-journal/vol10/iss2/37 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Center for International Stabilization and Recovery at JMU Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction by an authorized editor of JMU Scholarly Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Aliyev et al.: Mine Victims Needs Assessment and Assistance Coordination Capacity Developed As a result of the project being imple- mented, 15 people were trained in survey procedures and interviewing techniques; 10 Mine Victims Needs Assessment and of them gained wide experience in the prac- tical application of this knowledge. Seven Assistance Coordination people learned the data-entry process, having been introduced to it through IMSMA and Microsoft Access. Shamil Yagizarov, ANAMA Mine Information System Supervisor, de- A UNICEF feasibility study conducted in early 2001 showed that medical and surgical facilities veloped various themes with IMSMA’s Geographic Information System function to in Azerbaijan are adequate to meet the immediate needs of mine survivors. In general, physical- represent the spatial data. Extensive exper- Some screen shots of the MVA needs-assessment-survey database, in the form of an add-on to IMSMA. tise was attained in multi-criterion data IMAGE COURTESY OF ANAMA analyses as well by finding patterns, corre- rehabilitation facilities are also considered suitable; however, the lack of psychosocial support lations and conclusions from the responses to the different survey questions. Some to assist mine survivors with a disability is of particular concern. The study concluded that an results of the Countrywide Mine/UXO governmental agencies, and national and in- In addition to information gathered to Victim Needs Assessment Survey are pre- ternational nongovernmental organizations. answer the standard IMSMA form, which sented below. integrated and comprehensive assistance program could not be established for the mine vic- The working group thoroughly dis- is mainly focused on details of each inci- cussed project-related issues and predefined dent and emergency medical care provided, MVA Assessment Survey Results tims of Azerbaijan until a needs assessment was completed. In response, Azerbaijan planned partner organizations for the implementa- an MVA Assessment Survey question- Medical care. Surgical intervention needs tion phase. These discussions also encour- naire gathered comprehensive information were mentioned in 1,597 cases. Fragment aged ANAMA to conduct a pilot survey in on the needs of survivors for medical and extraction accounted for the greatest num- and conducted a national survey to assess mine victims’ needs, including prosthetic, social the Fizuli district. The results became part psychosocial care, physical and vocational ber of these interventions (544 cases). Some of the data of MVA Assessment Survey. The rehabilitation, economic assistance and ad- expressed a need for additional surgery, in- working group will continue coordinating vocacy, as well as for education, training cluding 21 operations on residual limbs. and economic needs, as a first step to developing national mine-victim-assistance priorities and future activities based on the needs-assessment and sports. Eighteen people emphasized their need for survey results. Consequently, the incident details and plastic surgery. programs. The results of the assessment are discussed in this article. The International Eurasia Press Fund needs of 1,883 mine survivors were en- Medical treatment or consultation with was chosen to administer and lead the survey tered into both the standard IMSMA inci- specialists was also a predominant need. The as this nongovernmental organization had dent casualty report and another relational need for a neuropathologist was mentioned experience gained from conducting two pre- Microsoft® Access database for the additional by 1,552 people. A visit to a traumatologist by Aziz Aliyev and Rauf Mamedov [ Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action ] and Umud Mirzoyev and Siyab Mamedov [ International Eurasia Press Fund ] vious surveys in Azerbaijan. Representatives comprehensive questionnaire data. This new was requested by 850 people. of three other NGOs actively taking part database consisted of seven tables for med- While 802 people required the services in the MVA working group—Dirchelish, ical care, physical rehabilitation, social of a general surgeon, just over one-seventh Shefali Eller and Babadagh—were also in- adaptation, economic assistance, profes- of this number—127 persons—actually n January 2001, UNICEF Mine Action Coordinator volved in this survey. sional rehabilitation, education and sport needed surgical operations due to recent Tehnaz Dastoor conducted a national mine-action The Ministries of Defense and Domestic needs, and additional information, which mine/UXO trauma. The rest were suffering Ifeasibility study in Azerbaijan, which highlighted Affairs supplemented preliminary informa- mainly reflects economic status of the from age-specific problems years after the the need for comprehensive mine-victim assistance. tion on mine/unexploded ordnance casu- survivor. The data was prepared as tables incident as a result of growing older, such as Since then, the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine alties in addition to data from ANAMA’s and charts, which were analyzed and com- body growth or shrinkage. Action has been developing mine-victim assistance and Information Management System for Mine mented on. This Access add-on database is Many interviewees (1,607) answered implementing MVA-related activities. ANAMA’s strat- Action database. The local branches and related to the various tables in the IMSMA the question of general health problems, egy involves combining the efforts of national and in- local authorities of the Republic Military database and further relations can be added allowing the researchers to record and ternational organizations in assisting disabled people, Commissariat also provided information if necessary. elaborate on their needs in medical care as well as in developing and implementing a long-term on mine/UXO survivors. The Ministry of Technical assistance was provided for accordingly. For example, 27 cases had MVA strategy for Azerbaijan. The Countrywide Mine/ Health and the Ministry of Labor and Social the MVA Assessment Survey to develop been treated surgically and revealed that UXO Victim Needs Assessment Survey project was de- Protection of Population actively facilitated the special Access add-on to IMSMA, en- they needed the same surgical intervention veloped in 2003 and implemented in 2004 to collect the arrangements related to the survey. sure accurate data entry, check quality, and repeatedly; 632 persons expressed their data necessary to address MVA needs in Azerbaijan. extensively review and analyze the data. needs for other specialists. It became clear The MVA Assessment Survey’s objectives included IMSMA and an MVA Assessment Together with the information already there is a need for nephrologists (kidney), establishing an extensive database, developing a well- Add-on stored by IMSMA about devices, general ophthalmic (eye) surgeons and especially articulated strategy and creating an effective network Data on almost 2,300 survivors was ex- survey victim data and impact data from otologists (ear). of relevant stakeholders in MVA. This survey was an tracted from about 70 different source lists. the Landmine Impact Survey, this add-on Physical rehabilitation needs: limbs. integral part of the overall project entitled “Support The most comprehensive list was from the included multiple references of the newly Total prosthetic needs were as follows: to Azerbaijan Mine Action Programme,”1 which was ANAMA IMSMA database, although much gathered victim data and identified needs. • 627 legs and 63 feet (620 persons, of funded by the European Commission. An MVA work- of this information was already outdated. A special Geographic Information System which 220 required prosthetic devices) ing group was established to complete the project plan- Unfortunately, media announcements failed function was introduced to allow the team • 65 arms and 172 hands (213 per- ning, development and fundraising phases. The working The needs-assessment interview. to attract participants who could offer addi- to present all the data according to geospa- sons, of which 53 required pros- group consists of representatives of relevant ministries, PHOTO COURTESY OF IEPF/ANAMA tional information about mine/UXO victims. tial distribution