Courtesy Photo | Brig. Gen. Peter Corey, U.S. Army Africa deputy commanding general, addresses...... read more read more
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VICENZA, Italy - Curious eyes gazed at every movement U.S. Army medical professionals made as they worked hand-in-hand with Uganda Peoples’ Defense Forces physicians at the Jinja Regional Referral hospital clinic.
In partnership with the Uganda Peoples Defense Forces, U.S. Army Africa led a team of Army health care providers Sept. 15-25 for Medical Readiness Training Exercise 15-4 in Jinja, Uganda.
Military personnel from Uganda and the U.S. participated in this exercise, focused on building and strengthening medical treatment capacity. The exercise allowed U.S. Forces to train in a more austere environment and learn from their African partners.
“MEDRETE 15-4 allowed us to learn how to practice medicine in a resource constrained environment,” said Lt. Col. Elizabeth Duque, a family physician assigned to William Beaumont Army Medical Center in Fort Bliss, Texas. “We had the opportunity to treat patients with disease processes that we rarely see in the U.S.”
The training enhanced Ugandan health care providers’ ability to deliver effective general surgery and trauma response in support of regional United Nations and African Union missions.
“The objective was to share their skills using the supplies and equipment available at the Jinja Regional Hospital and the Jinja Military Barracks Clinic,” said 1st Lt. Lorraine Frechette, assigned to 7th Civil Support Command in Kaiserslautern, Germany. “The two-week long MEDRETE would be a learning opportunity for all participants since each Soldier would be applying their personal experiences and different skills to treat patients.”
At the end of the two-week exercise, the combined medical team screened and treated more than 2,300 Ugandan’s.
“Many people seeking treatment would wait all day either sitting on hard wooden benches or on the grass for the opportunity to be seen by a provider,” said Frechette. “It was difficult turning them away at the end of the day but comforting knowing they would return the next morning.”
U.S. health professionals improved their readiness by working in an austere environment.
“This was my first time in 12 years of active duty to participate in an exercise like this,” said Duque. “It was very enjoyable and eye opening, I hope more opportunities like this present themselves for myself and the officers with whom I serve.”
U.S. Army Africa staff coordinates and executes multiple Medical Readiness Training Exercises annually on the African continent. The next MEDRETE is scheduled for January 2016 in Senegal.
| Date Taken: | 10.02.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 10.05.2015 03:00 |
| Story ID: | 177888 |
| Location: | VICENZA, IT |
| Web Views: | 62 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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