Photo By Staff Sgt. Amberlee Medina | U.S. Army laboratory technicians and preventative medicine specialist from Kosovo...... read more read more
Subscribe
Kosovo Force Regional Command East Task Force Medical visits the University Clinical Center of Kosovo laboratory to enhance Kosovo COVID-19 capabilities and response April 21, 2020 in Pristina (Prishtina).
TF-MED is KFOR RC-E’s primary COVID-19 testing facility and is working with the University Clinical Center of Kosovo, a public institute in Kosovo and the designated COVID-19 hospital for the region, to mitigate and manage the pandemic for both KFOR personnel and the people in Kosovo.
“Today’s mission is to evaluate the clinic's resources and capabilities,” said Col. Paresh Patel, KFOR RC-E Medical Director. “We also want to know how we can assist in the fight against COVID and making sure the people of Kosovo are taken care of.”
Over the past 20 years KFOR TF-MED has worked alongside many public health institutes throughout Kosovo.
“In the past, we [KFOR] have gone to Spitali Amerikan and other hospitals to teach,” said Patel. “Due to the COVID pandemic, we haven’t been able to maintain that but we have increased our collaboration and coordination in the fight against the virus.”
The global pandemic has also caused a deficit in medical equipment and transportation operations that have hindered the medical capabilities of both KFOR RC-E and Kosovo medical facilities.
“University Clinical Center has been very accommodating in providing testing capabilities,” said Patel. “We currently can only test eight to 19 tests a day, while they can run more than 300 tests a day. In return KFOR wants to provide equipment, like personal protective equipment, to assist them in their daily operations.”
The united KFOR and local COVID response has led to a management of the virus within the region and a mutual assimilation of procedures.
“There are many different testing procedures and each country has its own approach,” said Patel. We follow DOD and NATO guidance when it comes to managing our KFOR personnel. Kosovo has taken an aggressive COVID approach. Through our combined efforts we have been able to manage the virus to the best of our ability.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has tested Kosovo’s and KFOR’s resilience, however, the established partnerships have proven their adaptability and are continuing to work toward a healthy Kosovo.
“This fight is one that we have to do together,” said Patel. “We all have the same mission, the health and welfare of the whole population. Doctors are united in their Hippocratic oath to take care of everyone, everywhere, so it's a natural partnership that we will utilize to ensure the safety and security of all communities in Kosovo.”
| Date Taken: | 04.21.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 04.23.2020 09:56 |
| Story ID: | 368222 |
| Location: | PRISTINA, ZZ |
| Web Views: | 231 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, KFOR RC-E works with local hospital to increase COVID response, by SSG Amberlee Medina, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
