Airmen provide medical assistance in Colombia

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Matthew Bates
  • Air Force Print News
POPAYAN, Colombia (AFPN) --  Fourteen Airmen from Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., and Lackland AFB, Texas, arrived at Hospital Toribo Maya, Colombia, Sept. 13 and opened the doors to the hundreds of people who had already gathered outside seeking medical assistance. 

The team, made up of members from the 55th Medical Group at Offutt AFB and the 59th Medical Wing at Lackland AFB, will be in the country two weeks and visit four clinics within Popayan during its stay. 

This is the first medical readiness training exercise to this region of Colombia in nine years.

"We are grateful that this U.S. team is here," said Mariju Full Sanchez, Hospital Del Norte coordinator. "This event is being very well received by the people and we've already had more show up (on the first day) than we anticipated." 

The team, which has oral surgery, pediatric, internal medicine, dermatology, ophthalmology, gynecology and pharmaceutical capabilities, brought more than $40,000 worth of medical supplies to use in the treatment of the more than 700 patients it expects to see over the course of the exercise. 

The exercise, called MEDRETE, will not only bring quality medical care to people in need, but will also provide mutually beneficial opportunities for U.S. and Colombian forces to share medical expertise and experiences. 

"We're here to provide whatever medical aid we can," said Lt. Col. John LeVasseur, the medical team's chief. "We look forward to this opportunity to help the Colombian people and work alongside their medical professionals." 

The team will spend the first three days at the Hospital Toribo Maya before moving to another clinic in the city. The goal is to reach as many people as possible in the short time the team is in the country. 

"These types of exercises go a long way toward promoting human rights and international relations," said Master Sgt. Vernon Sandt, a medical plans operator with Headquarters Air Forces Southern at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. "The combined training gives both countries outstanding skills-building experience for their healthcare personnel, while bringing much-needed aid to the Colombian people." 

U.S. Southern Command sponsors approximately 70 MEDRETES per year. Twelfth 12th Air Force and Air Forces Southern, the air and space component to USSOUTHCOM, plan and execute about 30 of these in locations throughout Central and South America and the Caribbean.