Triage

During World Humanities, we watched the documentary “Triage” that featured Dr. James Orbinski. Dr. Orbinski is a humanitarian doctor that once was a doctor for the Doctors Without Borders program. He was a part of it during the conflicts in Sryria and the genocide in Rwanda. The documentary was of him, going back to some of the countries that he was stationed in during that time and of him just recounting some of the events that he remembered and meeting with some of the people there that he encountered. It is also of him giving his thoughts about humanitarianism in general and what to make of the world and how someone could go about trying to change what is happening and actually making a difference in what is going on.

I found the documentary to be very enlightening. Because the doctor was actually recalling the events himself, and traveling to those places that he remembered the events happening, it gave the documentary a more personal and unique feel.

The more we learn about the genocides and wars around the world, it amazes me that I have yet to not be astounded by any of these stories. Dr. Orbinski described in the film a time that he was in Rwanda; they went to a church where they heard there were wounded Tutsis and were soon under fire. A child had come up to him and ushered him to a woman that was severely wounded and in bad shape but was still alive. It was the child’s mother. Even after she was cut up and injured, the child never left. Even though the child probably knew that it was in danger, it never left.

I can’t even imagine the loyalty that that child felt to their mother that would make them stay with her for so long. I wouldn’t even know how to function or what to do if I was put into one of those situations. It shows how no matter what; a mother-child bond is strong no matter where in the world you are. (345)