BTH 08 Medical Support Visit Hospital Santa Teresa

Photo By Sgt. Andrew Reagan | COMAYAGUA, HN - Capt. Michelle L. Patches, a medical technologist with Detachment One of the 339th Combat Support Hospital in Harrisburg, Pa., and Sgt. 1st Class Victor M. Rivera, an interpreter from the 223th Military Intelligence battalion in San Francisco examine images of microscopic pathogens during a mission to provide medical support at Hospital Santa Teresa as part of operation Beyond the Horizon.  

04.04.2008

Story by Spc. Andrew Reagan 

416th Theater Engineer Command

By Andrew Reagan
416th Engineering Command

There is no MRI machine or CT scanner, most of the laboratory equipment available is outdated and the only X-ray machine on the premises is broken. Work is done in sanitary conditions that people back in the U.S. would hardly believe. Yet, despite these trying circumstances, U.S. Army medical personnel endeavor to help local doctors treat patients at Hospital Santa Teresa in Comayagua as part of operation Beyond the Horizon.

"What we've been doing is examining, screening and then routing them to the physician. We have two physicians here who are assisting with the care," said Col. Rosemary Kuca, the commander of the 339th Combat Support Hospital in Coraopolis, PA, who coordinates the assistance to Santa Teresa.

She said that the main procedures the medical team performs are cleaning wounds, starting IVs and inserting Foley catheters. The doctors also write prescriptions for medications ranging from antibiotics to pain relievers and blood pressure medication.

She added that this is the first operation of this type for most of the soldiers in the 339th.

"Most of us in Army health care in reserve status almost never work at a hospital on a battle assembly weekend. We're doing soldier skills. We will sometimes do health care related training but not likely at a hospital. From an annual training perspective, typically what we would do is set up a hospital in the field and we would do some health care in that capacity but certainly not the nature of what we're seeing here."

Another difference from what is usually encountered in military medicine that Kuca mentioned was the large number of children they were seeing, as opposed to their usual adult patients. However, the most daunting obstacle was the lack of supplies and equipment that medical personnel in the U.S. take for granted. The medical personnel use mercury thermometers instead of the digital ones used stateside. There is no automated laboratory equipment to analyze samples of blood and other bodily fluids. Kuca said the laboratory technology is comparable to that used in the U.S. in the 1960s and '70s.

The malfunctioning X-ray machine was particularly problematic. There was a young woman who was hit by a car, but Kuca said all they can do is keep her stable until an X-ray can be taken to determine if she has spinal injuries.

The medical personnel manage the best they can. They brought irrigation solutions to clean out wounds and dressings to bandage the wounds. Also, Kuca said the hospital on Soto Cano Air Base is donating two ventilators.

Kuca said the medical team is taking the necessary steps to combat the poor sanitation conditions.

"We expect to find hand washing stations or hand sanitizer in every room back home and that's just not the case here. We brought gloves."

In addition to the sanitation conditions and other medical hurdles, the medical team deals with a language barrier when treating patients. Translators accompanied them to combat this problem. The mission was personal for one of the translators. Sgt. 1st Class Victor M. Rivera from the 223rd Military Intelligence Battalion in San Francisco grew up in rural conditions in Puerto Rico in the 1960s.

"I remember going to town and it was just like this. I get very sentimental. It seems like time has stopped."

Rivera also served as an interpreter on a similar mission in Panama. He notices a parallel in the way people in both countries have reacted warmly to the U.S. military's helping hand.

"That's why I'm still in the service, to meet beautiful, humble people," he said.

• Date Taken: 04.04.2008
• Date Posted: 04.05.2008 15:47
• Story ID: 18109