Photo By Master Sgt. James Law | U.S. Air Force Maj. Salah Masry, internal medicine doctor assigned to the 81st Medical...... read more read more
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PUNTA GORDA, Belize - U.S. and Canadian medical professionals provided health care services for approximately 1,800 local residents during a medical readiness training exercise at the Punta Gorda Methodist School April 9 and 10.
The medical exercises are part of a larger on-going exercise known as New Horizons and are designed to provide humanitarian assistance and medical care to people in multiple Belizean communities, while helping improve the skills of U.S. military medical forces.
“We bring a team of doctors, nurses and technicians down and provide the care that was pre-coordinated by the Belize Ministry of Health and Air Force Southern Command based on the needs of the local villages,” said John Henry, team chief for the first medical exercise.
The medical treatment provided consisted of general medicine, optometry, pediatrics, dermatology, dental, women’s health care, and pharmacist who filled almost 2,500 prescriptions on site. The team also provided close to 400 pairs of prescription glasses and extracted approximately 200 teeth.
“Its gives our physicians an opportunity to see diseases, issues, and concerns we normally don’t see in the United States,” said Henry. “It also shows them that when they deploy not everything is state of the art, so they have to work with limited resources and limited equipment.”
The exercise also provided an opportunity for U.S. and Canadian service members to train together and learn from one another.
“This is a great experience to have the opportunity to work along Americans to provide healthcare to our Belizean partners,” said Canada navy Lt. Ryan Kennedy, physician assigned to the Canadian Forces Health Services Centre Ottawa. “It is particularly nice to have specialist from multiple fields working together in one location.”
In addition to the medical treatment offered at the school, several members of the team partnered with Hillside Clinic, a volunteer organization run by two American doctors in Belize, to travel to a remote village and provide medical care for 65 citizens.
“Any country that will let us come in and train our personnel and work with them, not only to help our people further and improve their skills but to be able to provide the help and assistance, and work with the Belizeans to forge a better relationship is great,” said Henry.
| Date Taken: | 04.12.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 04.12.2013 18:52 |
| Story ID: | 105133 |
| Location: | PUNTA GORDA, BZ |
| Web Views: | 254 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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