SOUTHCOM alerts additional medics for Peru relief

  • Published
MIAMI - (AFPN) --  A 14-person Air Force medical team, consisting of six doctors, a physician's assistant, a pharmacist and medical technicians, will depart Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, Aug. 18 en route to Ica, Peru to assist residents affected by the 8.0 magnitude earthquake Aug. 15.

The medical readiness team will deploy by commercial air and is scheduled to arrive in Ica Aug. 19.

The deployment will increase to 36 the number of U.S. military medical personnel providing assistance to the South American nation. 

SOUTHCOM deployed a 30-man mobile surgical team Aug. 17 from Joint Task Force-Bravo, based at Soto Cano Air Base in Honduras, to Peru to provide specialized medical care to communities affected by the disaster.
 
The deployments follow a disaster declaration issued Aug. 16 by U.S. Ambassador to Peru Peter Michael McKinley, paving the way for U.S. government aid.

In addition to deploying medical assistance teams, U.S. Southern Command officials are purchasing $50,000 in needed medical supplies to be donated to the Peruvian Ministry of Health to assist the country with its ongoing relief efforts. 


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