Citation

Afshar AR, Mirzatoloui F. Arch. Iran. Med. 2006; 9(2): 188-189.

Affiliation

Department of Orthopedics, Motahhari Hospital, Kashani St., Urmia, Iran. (email: afshar@umsu.ac.ir)

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Academy of Medical Sciences of I.R. Iran)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

16649369

Abstract

Landmines are unaffected by cease-fire or peace. When the conflicts end, these deadly remnants still kill and maim civilians, children, and animals. The contaminated areas are inaccessible for agricultural and economical activities. The high number of landmine injuries after cease-fire might be explained by the freedom of people to move into areas that had been inaccessible before.

The average hospitalization period, blood transfusion, and number of operation is higher for landmine victims than any other war injuries. The victims not only suffer from dirty wounds contaminated with mud, grass, and shrapnel fragments, but also suffer from an intensive blast injury, which causes neurological and psychological impairment. Children are more likely to die of landmine injuries than adults -- their smaller size means that their vital organs are closer to the blast of a detonating mine.

Suggestions: By precisely weighing the human, social, and economical costs against the probable defensive benefits, the use of landmines could decrease and stop. Prompt clearing of the mine fields and high risk areas.

Language: en