Corpsmen provide medical care to local Afghan villagers

HELMAND PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN

12.17.2009

Story by Lance Cpl. Dwight Henderson 

I Marine Expeditionary Force

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan — The farmers of southern Afghanistan work hard out in their fields. With only a few own tractors the rest are left to work their fields by hand. Most of them smoke, dip and drink chi tea as opposed to water.

These two circumstances put together can lead to aches and pains that, in America, would simply be taken care of with an over-the-counter medication.

Due to scarce and expensive health care, the people do not normally go to a doctor, and do not have the medicine for simple problems like headaches. With improvised explosive devices littering the roads of southern Afghanistan, some won't even go to a doctor in the direst of circumstances.

"Even if someone is on their deathbed, you cannot go to the doctor," said one local village elder. "The reason we cannot go to the doctor is because there are mines everywhere."

So to help with the less serious illnesses, sailors from Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, conducted a healthcare infrastructure evaluation at the village of Tajik Khar in Garmsir, Afghanistan, Dec. 17.

"We roll into a town and assess the health of the local population," said Chief Petty Officer Anthony L. Epps, the independent duty corpsman for Easy Company.

With the Marines of Easy Company providing security along with a few members of the Afghan national army, the corpsmen allowed a small crowd of men and children to gather around them. One by one, they assessed and treated symptoms for any basic illnesses.

"The predominant things we see are skeletal pain, joint pain and indigestion, because of their work and their diet," said Epps, from Bremerton, Wash. "When we give them basic medicine, we also educate them on proper stretching and stopping tobacco use."

Some locals came to the corpsmen with simple headaches or pains. Some came with dental problems or sore throats that could easily be cured with common medicine.

However, some locals come to the corpsman with injuries or sicknesses that they are not equip to handle while conducting a HCIE.

"It's not much," said Epps. "We go out with very basic medicines, but we hope we're doing some good. If they're very sick or very injured, then they will come to [Combat Outpost] Koshtay and we've seen and treated and evacuated many already,"

Epps added that over the past 50 days, the different basic aid stations throughout 2/2's area of operations have seen more than 90 Afghans.

"We've been very fortunate to have excess meds and medical consumables, and that's what we've been using," said Epps.

The sailors had seen and treated 16 people by the end of the day. The locals in this area, despite all of their smoking, dipping and hard work in the fields, are in good health.

Epps added that he will try to make contact with the local physician to assist him in any way he can to raise the level of health care in the area.

• Date Taken: 12.17.2009
• Date Posted: 12.28.2009 14:27
• Story ID: 43208
• Location: HELMAND PROVINCE, AF