Air Force Reserve medics provide care despite challenges

Published Aug. 11, 2008
By Capt. David Tomiyama
Task Force New Horizons Public Affairs

AYACUCHO, Peru -- With only half their medical team and less than three days to see patients, Air Force reservists from Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, still managed to care for more than 2,000 Peruvians.

A 19-person team from Air Force Reserve Command's 433rd Medical Group treated patients in the Ayacucho region, Aug. 1-7, as part of New Horizons-Peru 2008. New Horizons is a long-term, U.S. Southern Command-sponsored program to bring humanitarian assistance to countries in Latin and Caribbean nations.

The team was made up of doctors, a dentist and optometrist, dental technicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacy technicians, and an administrator. They provided general medical care and diagnosis, dentistry, optometry, pharmaceutical needs and public health education in Mollepata, Carmen Alto and Quinua over the course of six days.

Members of the Air Force Reserve medical team are no stranger to medical training exercises in Guatemala, Honduras, Belize and the Dominican Republic.

However, they were not originally scheduled to be a part of this year's New Horizons MEDRETE. They learned in June they would be going to Peru because the Army pulled out of the exercise because of a last-minute deployment. The reservists not only had to fulfill a last-minute requirement but they also were not able to bring their entire team to Ayacucho.

"It's been a challenge because if you plan for a certain amount of people and days and then its cut, you have to improvise," said Lt. Col. Diana Flores, lead planner and international health specialist. "This unit, with only half its manning, is doing very well. They've been able to be very flexible in seeing patients despite decreased manning and days."

The short-handed medical team saw 2,373 patients in six days, keeping pace on average with the past six MEDRETEs that have taken placed over two months.

"The 433rd MDG team has amazed me with the number of patients they saw despite only having a fraction of their team," said Maj. Matt Joganich, task force commander. "It speaks volumes to the quality of the team and the dedication they have to their job."

Over those six days, the team noticed trends in patients. The most common ailments were due to dust or severe dental cavities beyond saving.

"Because of the dust in this area, we saw a lot of upper respiratory problems in adults and runny noses, teary, watery eyes from children," Colonel Flores said. "On the dental side, we primarily did extractions because we weren't equipped to do fillings for cavities. Since Peruvians can't get good hygiene, many times the younger children came in with cavities that needed to be extracted versus being filled."

Despite the challenges, the reservists gained invaluable training, according to Colonel Flores.

"New Horizons put the team in a contingency, deployment type of situation, living out of tents, sleeping on cots and sleeping bags," she said. "Plus it was practicing field medicine; they weren't in a clinic with all the supplies, equipment and lab tests; it was their basic raw skills as a provider to take care of patients."

Their hard work paid off.

"The people were very, very appreciative," said Colonel Flores. "Many patients said they appreciated us very much for being here."

During New Horizons - Peru 2008, more than 950 active-duty, reserve and guard Airmen, Sailors, Marines and Soldiers deployed on a rotational basis over the course of three months to bring humanitarian assistance to the Peruvian people of Ayacucho. These service members are nearing the end of the construction of three medical clinics, two school houses, a water well, and completing the final three of nine medical missions. (Air Force Reserve Command News Service)