Honduras, American medics gather to share skills

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. William Farrow
  • Joint Task Force-Bravo Public Affairs
SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras (AFPN) --  More than 35 Honduran doctors, nurses and emergency medical members met with Joint Task Force-Bravo medics to discuss emergency procedures April 6 at Hospital Militar Luis Alonso Discua in Honduras.

During the exchange, American medics stationed at Soto Cono Air Base explained emergency protocols that may assist the Hondurans with creating standardized emergency guidelines.

Current Honduran emergency medical guidelines follow emergency reaction protocols and policies set through each Honduran hospital.

However, the Honduran medical community realizes uniform protocol is crucial for time-sensitive emergency situations, said Maj. Regina Paden, the Joint Task Force-Bravo medical element chief of clinical services. 

"The information they're gathering now will determine what works best for them," she said. "The more they are all reading off the same page, the more lives will be saved in the future."

Honduran doctors, nurses, emergency technicians and ambulance drivers from several public and private hospitals in the Tegucigalpa attended the exchange.

Once the Hondurans sort through the information and decide what works best, they will begin instituting certain procedures nationally, Major Paden said. The hospital staffs will then train other Honduran hospital staffs, exponentially increasing uniformity in emergency medical procedures.

"They are very interested in American emergency operations in both the military and civilian communities, so we provide them with information relating to how we do business and we explain what works best for us," she said.

Major Paden said the attendees were also interested in the American's choices of equipment as well, since Tegucigalpa's Hospital Escuela recently received capability upgrades as Canada and South Korean officials donated an ambulance.

"They're new ambulances, but they came to them pretty bare so they are asking us about what equipment we use in our ambulances and what equipment works best for us," said Army Staff Sgt. Erik Gonzalez, a JTF-Bravo medical element emergency medical technician. "They're very proud of their new ambulances and want to purchase the best."

Officials of JTF-Bravo's 1-228th Aviation Regiment provided an aircraft for participants to practice safe delivery and recovery of patients from a helicopter.

Although Honduras has its own medical evacuation capability to use when ambulances aren't feasible or can't respond in a timely manner, JTF-Bravo occasionally augments their MEDEVAC capability, Major Paden said.

"We felt it was crucial for them to become familiar with our procedures and experience what it's like to work under noisy, rotating helicopter blades," she said. "An educational environment like this is a perfect opportunity for people to get a feel for what a real world MEDEVAC is like."

One Honduran participant said the MEDEVAC was a highlight of the day, but she also felt all the exchanges were valuable.

"I think the entire event was very useful for the Honduran personnel because although our medical personnel are qualified, we don't have a lot of experience in emergency transport because the infrastructure does not exist," said Dr. Maria Martha Matamoros Aguilar. "So today we gained knowledge, experience and technological familiarization with emergency transportation and operations which helps the Honduran personnel in charge of evacuations." 

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