Monday, September 28, 2015 –
Courtesy Story By US Army Sgt. Stephanie Tucker
SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras - Joint Task Force -Bravo's Medical Element (MEDEL), with support from 1-228th Aviation Regiment, JTF-Bravo Joint Security Forces and Army Forces Battalion, partnered with the Panamanian Ministry of Health (MINSA) and the Panamanian National Police to provide medical care to more than 1,200 people in the remote reservation of Ngobe Bugle in the north western mountains of Panama, during a Medical Readiness Training Exercise (MEDRETE), between the dates of Sept. 21-26, 2015.
Joint Task Force-Bravo conducts MEDRETEs to enhance partner nation relations through medical training with regional military forces and local civilian organizations while supporting the Panama Ministry of Health’s efforts to provide medical care to an underserviced population.
“Everyone worked hard to make the mission a success. In my opinion, the locals were pleased with our support because they could see MEDEL and the MINSA showed genuine concern for them.” said U.S Army Ssg. Jajuanza Williams, noncommissioned officer in charge of the MEDRETE. “I think I speak for everyone saying that it was an honor and blessing to be able to help out a community that does not receive medical care on a regular basis if any. I am a better person and Soldier because I was given this opportunity to be a part of this mission.”
The JTF-Bravo team, the Panamanian Ministry of Health, and the Panamanian National Police worked together to provide preventative medicine to the villagers, including classes on hygiene and preventative dental care. They also provided immunizations to infants, dental care, wellness checkups, medications, and minor medical procedures. Nutritional Surveys were also performed by the Panamanian Ministry of Health; rations of High Nutrient Cereals (HNC) were distributed with instructions on how to prepare the meals for the indigenous local populace.
“A couple of things that really left impressions on me would be: The villages we visited were very remote, isolated, and very mountainous. There are no roads in the area. The scenery around the villages was breath taking. Homes built of bamboo walls and leaves and grasses for roofs. Such a simple life they live with no technology other than a few phones.” stated U.S. Army Sfc. Dianna Puckett, one of the three Health Specialists that assisted in screening patients for medical care. “As a screener, I was taken a back at what simple requests were being made: creams for a rash, medicine for the pain in their backs so they could continue working, or to get rid of a headache. An 87 year old male that wanted medicine to help with his shortness of breath for when he climbed over the mountain, because it was getting difficult to go to work. Even to see the joy of a little boy as he ran through the village with a brand new toothbrush after one of the preventative dental care classes.”
“This was my first MEDRETE while here (in Honduras) and as a military Physician Assistant. I and the other PA, also carried the responsibility for providing emergent medical coverage for the team itself. I really enjoyed the mission overall.” said U.S. Army Lt. Bryan Wogen, Physician Assistant, MEDRETE medical provider. "It was great to get to such a remote site and try to increase immunizations rates and improve quality of living for the local people. The immunizations have such a profound impact on not only Panama's health, but also that of the entire Western hemisphere by creating buffer zones to prevent viral transmission and mutation. Missions like this is why I chose to become a military PA; to go to uncomfortable areas and do good, not only for the men and women around me, but also the world as a whole.”
JTF-Bravo was able to work together in the successful medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) of a severely dehydrated and malnourished 1 month old baby suffering oral candidiasis and was not able to breastfeed. His family walked for 10 hours just to come to our MEDRETE so the child could be seen. Normally, for the mother and child to get to the nearest transportation point would have been a 3 day walk through the jungle; so we arranged helicopter transport to the nearest hospital. The child is, currently, reported to be doing much better and should be transferred down to a less acute care setting soon.
“The team did an awesome job and I am extremely proud of their professionalism. They delivered excellent medical care in a remote area of Panama, and represented MEDEL, JTF-Bravo, SOUTHCOM, and the U.S. America with honor.” said U.S. Army Ltc. Marshall Smith, MEDEL commander.
Joint Task Force-Bravo's MEDEL is composed of 63 Army personnel, most of whom are U.S. Army Reserve soldiers from the 807th Medical Command (Deployment Support), who have come together from across the United States and have provided medical care to more than 22,000 people in Honduras over the last 12 months. MEDEL provides preventative medical care, wellness check-ups, dental care, preventative dental care, surgical care, and physical therapy through local partnerships in Comayagua, Tegucigalpa, and through local MEDRETEs which are carried out on a weekly basis.