Posted on 10/29/24
| News Source: Arutz-7
One year into the Swords of Iron war, the Rehabilitation Division of the Ministry of Defense reports that since the war broke out on October 7, some 12,000 wounded and injured have been admitted to the Rehabilitation Department.
Of these, 93% are men, 66% are reservists, 51% are between the ages of 18 and 30. Fourteen percent (14%) of the wounded are classified as moderately-severely injured, 377 of them with head injuries, of which 23 suffered severe injuries that required the completion of the skull with the aid of a 3D printer; 308 with eye injuries, of whom 12 lost their sight and required a prosthesis, 104 with spinal injuries, and about 60 amputees to whom an advanced and innovative prosthesis was adapted that conforms to their lifestyle.
In addition, 5,200 (43%) of the wounded developed various mental reactions (anxieties, depressions, adjustment difficulties and post-traumatic stress and more). On average, 1,000 wounded from the ongoing war are admitted each month, and in addition, some 500 new applications were admitted for recognition from past events.
Some 1,500 wounded were wounded twice during the fighting. Some 900 new wounded have been evacuated to hospitals since the ground operation began in Lebanon - a 1.5-fold increase over September.
In the past year, the department has absorbed three times as many young casualties under the age of 30, who constitute 51% of the war's casualties, while until October 6, 2023, about 50% of the IDF casualties were middle aged compared to 8% of the young casualties under the age of 30. Rehabilitative measures are tailored to the young wounded with emphasis on assistance in returning to the educational circle, vocational training and vocational rehabilitation.
As part of the process, ten rehabilitative farms were established to help the wounded create a daily routine, and are spread throughout the country. The farms were established in cooperation with the Israel Defense Forces Wounded Veterans Organization. At the farms, body and soul workshops, discussion circles and agricultural activities are held. In the future, activities will be held for family members as well.
In order to allow the wounded to recuperate and their injuries to heal, and in order to be able to focus on recovery - the policy of "rehabilitation before bureaucracy" in conjunction with the Israel Veterans Organization is being continued. The patients who are admitted to the division receive immediate medical and psychological treatment and financial support. Physical casualty boards will be deferred for one year from the date of injury, while mental casualty boards will be deferred for two years, at the recommendation of the experts. This is to allow the mental state of the casualties to stabilize and crystallize. According to the data, the average annual cost of the basket of treatment and economic support for a war casualty is about 150,000 shekels.
According to estimates in the Rehabilitation Department, by the year 2030 there will be 100,000 IDF veterans, 50% of whom are mental health patients. In order to prepare for the number of casualties, the Rehabilitation Division has established a Customer Service Division, which, alongside improving the technological and digital response, will assist in simplifying the bureaucracy for IDF veterans. In the coming week, another media campaign will be launched to make the rights and services available to the wounded more accessible.