The Explosive Weapons Trauma Care Collective

(EXTRACCT)

the Explosive weapons trauma care collective

EXTRACCT is a multisectoral initiative established to improve care for injured civilians in settings impacted by explosive weapons through research, fieldwork, and evidence-based advocacy.

We aim to reduce preventable death and disability among civilian casualties of explosive weapon by enhancing coordination between humanitarian mine action and health stakeholders in conflict and post-conflict settings.

EXTRACCT began in 2021 as “The Mine Action Trauma Care Collaborative,” an exploratory dialogue between researchers at the University of Washington and the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) to address the unacceptably high case fatality rate (nearly 40%) among civilian victims of explosive ordnance. In acknowledgment of the impact of other types of explosive weapons including improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and explosive weapons in populated areas (EWIPAs) on civilians in conflict, the Mine Action Trauma Care Collaborative became the Explosive Weapons Trauma Care Collective. EXTRACCT has evolved into a consortium of academics, trauma surgeons, and humanitarian practitioners leveraging innovative, multisectoral partnerships to define high-value opportunities for enhanced engagement between humanitarian mine action stakeholders and trauma systems strengthening in resource-constrained settings affected by explosive weapons.

At a time when indiscriminate use of explosive weapons disproportionately affects civilians in conflicts globally, EXTRACCT’s work has the potential to significantly reduce unnecessary suffering.