By 1st Lt. J. Elaine Hunnicutt
FARAH, Afghanistan -- A team of 11 Army medics treated more than 1,500 people and 2,100 animals in the Farah province, Jan. 15 through 18.
"It is important that we treat the animals for the villagers because it improves their health and economic status," said Col. Steve Johnson, Task Force Victory surgeon.
Eighty percent of the population owns animals, and by treating the herd their value is increased by 10 percent, according to Johnson.
Medics from Bagram Air Field joined forces with the members of the Farah Provisional Reconstruction Team to provide basic medical care for the people and animals in the villages of Khormaleq, Darabad Bala and Chin during a routine civil affairs mission.
The joint Civil Military Assistance mission with the Bagram team allows the PRT to reach areas in ways that would otherwise be impossible.
The team's mission is focused on vaccinating and ensuring healthy food source for the villagers in these locations.
The secondary mission is to provide basic medical assistance to the villagers, collecting medical data on the community's health status and assessing the public health needs of the population.
The team does everything from de-worming to hoof care to treating the common colds.
The group from Bagram travels out on these types of missions at least twice a month. The teams are comprised of medical doctors, veterinarians, nurses, physician assistants, medical service officers and medics.
"The CMA extends our capabilities; what better way is there to show our support for the locals than by treating their kids," Lt. Col. Andrew Santa-Pinter, Farah Provisional Reconstruction Team commander. "There is nothing like seeing their smiles when we arrive."
More than 35,000 people and 100,000 animals have been treated by CMA teams like this throughout Afghanistan since in the last 18 months.
| Date Taken: | 02.04.2005 |
| Date Posted: | 02.04.2005 11:55 |
| Story ID: | 1103 |
| Location: | FARAH, AF |
| Web Views: | 119 |
| Downloads: | 48 |
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