A team of medical professionals from the U.S. Army Reserve’s 1982nd Forward Resuscitative Surgical Detachment began a medical readiness exercise, MEDREX Chad 2023, with the Chadian Armed Forces at Garrison Military Hospital in N’djamena, Chad, that will run from July 17 to 28,  2023. 

The 13-person U.S. Army medical team traveled from their base in Niagara, New York to work alongside Chadian doctors, nurses and medics to treat patients in a variety of medical specialties. Over the two-week exercise, the teams will see Chadian military and civilian patients and perform medical evaluations, anesthesiology, general surgery, triage, emergency room care, radiology procedures and biomedical equipment assessments and repairs. 

MEDREX is a program designed and overseen by the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) that allows medical personnel from the U.S. military and partner nation militaries to exchange medical procedures and strengthen treatment capabilities. The exercise exposes participants to unique medical delivery methods, and ultimately improves their capacity to assess and deliver care. This is the fifth of six MEDREXs scheduled for the African continent in fiscal year 2023 by SETAF-AF.

“The Chadian culture is incredibly supportive of its people,” said Maj. Lee Castellano, 1982nd FRSD commander and officer in charge of the U.S. team. “The relationships we have made during our short time here have been huge. The positive impact of working with our Chadian counterparts and caring for these patients will certainly have inherent change in our practice [back home] that I have no doubt we will all make.”

The bi-lateral MEDREX exercise was last held in Chad in March 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic halted the program. The exercise allows both teams to sharpen their medical skills and develop closer relationships by collaborating and exchanging treatment techniques while working shoulder to shoulder to provide additional medical care for people in the community.

MEDREX Chad 2023 will conclude July 28 with a closing ceremony honoring the participants.