MEDCAP team trains Obock District Hospital staff

Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Regina L. Brown | U.S. Army Sgt. Kendall Kramer, a combat medic, teaches proper wound care to medical staff at the Obock District Hospital in Djibouti. Kramer is part of a team of service members deployed to Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa participating in a medical civic action program (MEDCAP) offering medical services to several villages throughout Djibouti.  

09.21.2007

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Regina L. Brown 

Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa

Petty Officer 2nd Class Regina L. Brown
Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa Public Affairs

OBOCK, Djibouti - Obock District Hospital staff members were given refresher medical training by five service members from Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, Sept. 20.

The service members trained 12 staff members to prepare them for the Medical Civic Action Program held at the hospital Sep. 23-25.

"The training the MEDCAP team gave was very valuable," said Dr. Leonardo Zangronis, a family care physician and doctor in charge at the Obock District Hospital. "The staff here was appreciative of the knowledge that they passed on and hope to get more training in the future."

The training started with an hour of cardiopulmonary resuscitation instruction, given by Army Lt. Col. Alana Conley, 350th Civil Affairs Command functional specialty team physician assistant and MEDCAP mission commander. Hospital staff took turns practicing breaths and compressions on CPR dummies provided by the MEDCAP team.

"I really enjoy giving hands-on training," said Conley. "With these skills, the staff can potentially save a life."

Prevention and treatment of respiratory infections was taught by Air Force Senior Master Sgt. David Culver, 350th CACOM functional specialty team member.

"I enjoyed their responses and the interaction between the staff and us," said Culver. "I really think they got something out of it."

Cmdr. Joel Larcombe, CJTF-HOA surgeon, educated the staff on snake bite treatment, diarrhea and re-hydration. With Djibouti reporting at least one snake bite per week from the carpet viper, the training reinforced the urgency of getting treatment to snake bite victims. The venom from the carpet viper is a hemotoxin and can kill in as little as 30 minutes. Three vials of carpet viper antivenin were donated to the hospital by CJTF-HOA.

Wound care was taught by Army Sgt. Kendall Kramer, 350th CACOM functional specialty team combat medic. Kramer showed the staff how to sterilize a wound and apply tourniquets.

Training ended with a lesson in the prevention of sexually transmitted infections, given by Army Sgt. 1st Class Socorro Gonzalez.

"This training gives us a good chance to interact and get to know each other better as people and healthcare providers."

"The training will make the hospital more efficient and the staff will be better trained and prepared to help our forces," said Conley. "Hopefully some of the techniques they pick up will make them better patient caregivers."

At the end of the training, the staff members thanked the team, excitedly asking when the next training session would be held.

"I just hope we helped the staff at the appropriate level that they needed," said Conley. "We would definitely like to get more classes for them in the future; they were all so excited to learn."

• Date Taken: 09.21.2007
• Date Posted: 10.16.2007 09:42
• Story ID: 13034