The World Health Organization (WHO) has awarded the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Medical Corps field hospital a ‘Type 3’ score: the highest rating that exists.
The rating is used in the set of criteria set forth by the United Nations (UN) international public health agency to rate foreign medical assistance teams during times of disaster.
The physician responsible for developing the scoring system, Dr. Ian Norton, said last month that up to this point, no nation has reached a score of 3.
Israel is now the first.
In a ceremony last week, the international health organization classified the IDF field hospital as its first and only “Type 3” field hospital, according to its commander, Lt. Col. (res.) Dr. Ofer Merin.
In September a WHO delegation traveled to Israel to evaluate the state-of-the-art IDF field hospital. The 26-tent structure was assembled as part of a large-scale military exercise at the time as part of a general drill in northern Israel.
Merin has referred to the complex as a “national treasure,” pointing out that it can be set up nearly anywhere in fewer than 12 hours.
The international health organization noted that in the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti, 400 hospitals were established by teams from 50 different countries.
“We note there is a field hospital in almost every country in the world, and many of them provide humanitarian assistance,” the WHO said in a statement.