Djibouti medical service corps members tour expeditionary medical facility

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jarad A. Denton
  • Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa
CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti (AFNS) --  Service members from the Djiboutian Military Medical Service Corps were given an opportunity Aug. 9 to tour the Michaud Expeditionary Medical Facility on Camp Lemonnier.

The tour of the facility was conducted as part of an ongoing educational partnership between Djiboutian military medics and their U.S. service member counterparts.

"The Djiboutians gave a tour of their medical facility, which allowed us to share some of our best practices with them," said Capt. Roberta Krause, the 449th Air Expeditionary Group aeromedical evacuation liaison. "They always ask interesting questions. (The Djiboutians') hunger for knowledge is inspiring."

Krause said she hoped the visit would allow both U.S. and Djiboutian service members to expand their horizons in the medical field.

"They have valuable insights into tropical medicine and malaria," she said. "It's something the Djiboutian people live with every day."

According to Maj. Greg Baldwin, the Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa J-5 medical planner, Djiboutian medical military members also have a unique perspective on diagnosing illness through observation, patient turnover and offering the best care possible with limited resources. He said U.S. medical service members have a lot to learn from their Djiboutian neighbors.

"We would be foolhardy to think we know everything about medicine," Baldwin said.

During the tour itself, the Djiboutians were able to see how the U.S. medical team developed a fully functioning medical facility with such limited space.

"It was good to see all the facilities available in such a small location," said Lt. Dayib Dahir Abdillahi, a Djiboutian military medical service corps general practitioner. "It was very nice to have this opportunity."