United States Army South - Defense and Fraternity: MEDCOM, Army South mission improves eyesight for Dominicans, builds partner nation capacity

MEDCOM, Army South mission improves eyesight for Dominicans, builds partner
nation capacity
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Lt. Col. Antwan Williams, U.S. Army South Public Affairs on 24/08/2012 09:33:00

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic-A U.S. Army South and U.S. Medical Command
(MEDCOM) annual cataract medical readiness training exercise (MEDRETE) is
ongoing in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic July 10-27. The purpose of this
exercise is to help to build partner nation capacity, while providing
humanitarian services and improving eyesight for hundreds of Dominican citizens.

The cataract medical mission planned by MEDCOM and working with Army South is
led by Col. Darrel “Casey” Carlton, an ophthalmologist from Madigan
Healthcare System, Fort Lewis, Wash.  This is Carlton’s third time leading a
medical mission in the Dominican Republic and he says the major difference this
year is more host nation physicians leading and participating in much of the
effort.
“What we’ve being doing here for the last few years has not only improved
the eyesight of countless Dominicans, it has truly helped build partner nation
capacity because we now have, more than ever before, host nation physicians who
are trained and providing much of the care during this exercise,” he said.
Col. (Dr.) Dan Berliner, Army South command surgeon and deputy chief of staff
for medical, said missions like this one support U.S. Southern Command’s
theater security cooperation by, “improving the lives of people in our region
by giving them sight,” while working alongside host nation physicians to help
improve interoperability, “to build partner nation capacity and provide
positive images to partner nations in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility.”
SOUTHCOM and Army South’s area of responsibility includes 31 nations and 15
areas of special sovereignty in Central and South America and the Caribbean. 
The two commands have conducted dozens of medical readiness and training
exercises in its AOR each year over the last decade. These MEDRETEs have not
only provided basic healthcare to rural populations in various countries, but is
an excellent vehicle for medical personnel to receive training often in austere
and difficult environments that are not easily replicated anywhere else,
explained Carlton.
U.S. Army ophthalmologist, Maj. Eric Weber, from Walter Reed National Military
Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., who is on his first MEDRETE, echoed Carlton’s
view of training, “I see more patients here with strabismus in a two-week
mission than I would in an entire year of practice back home.”
Strabismus is a type of surgical procedure on the extra ocular muscles to
correct the misalignment of the eyes.  Of the more than 350 eye surgeries the
team has conducted in two weeks, about 20 percent of them have been for
strabismus.  The remaining procedures were primarily for cataract, refractive
and nonrefractive and droopy eyelid issues or procedures.
Weber says there is no other training environment like this one where you gain
so much experience in such a short period of time, while also working closely
with host-nation medical colleagues.
Dominican Col. (Dr.) Arturo Aquino Espinal, chief of the ophthalmology
department at the Central Hospital of the Armed Forces in Santo Domingo, where
the two-week mission is taking place said, “Building relationships among our
colleagues from both countries has been amazing.”
“Working alongside the U.S. doctors, I’ve done more than a dozen eye
surgeries in two days,” said Espinal.
In addition Espinal said, “the U.S. and Dominican ophthalmologists share
medical and surgical experiences with each other, which help improve our skill
set.” One example, Espinal provided was when he took Carlton one night to meet
with a local group of Dominican physicians to share new concepts in eye
treatments.
“Sharing experiences, meeting with colleagues and helping poor people are the
most beautiful and rewarding experiences,” said Espinal.
Carlton added, treating Dominican citizens, “which is most important,” also
builds relationships with our colleagues and help their capacity to conduct
various new surgical procedures.  “I met Espinal last year at the Society of
Military Ophthalmology in Orlando, Fla., and now we are here together sharing
this experience,” Carlton said.
The medical mission also provided an opportunity for Dominican doctors, third
and fourth-year medical residents, to train and conduct surgery alongside U.S.
military ophthalmologists.
“The willingness of the American doctors to teach them [the residents] the
techniques and let them work hands on, so they are really happy about it,”
said Lt. Col. (Dr.) Robert Risk, a Dominican army ophthalmologist.
Marcela Mejia, a Dominican physician and fourth-year medical resident, has
conducted several eye procedures this week, while working alongside U.S.
ophthalmologists. “It has been amazing.  They have been super nice…they
teach you the techniques they use,” said Mejia.
A further testament to the success and importance of the medical mission is when
U.S. Ambassador to the Dominican Republic, Raul H. Yzaguirre showed up at the
hospital on July 23 to thank the medical team and meet with patients.
Col. (Dr.) Kevin Winkle, from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, and the
rest of the medical team was very appreciative of the ambassador coming by to
thank the team. The ambassador’s visit and the satisfaction of seeing parents
smile after a procedure has dramatically improved their children’s eyes have
been some of the most rewarding experiences, said Winkle.
“There is nothing more satisfying than seeing the look on a parent’s face
when you made their child’s eyes straight or certainly the look on
somebody’s face who couldn’t see and the next day the light of day has kind
of dawned on them in a new and personal way,” said Winkle.
Related Links:
Video of Medical Readiness Training Exercise in Dominican Republic
Video of U.S. and Dominican Military Doctors Working Together
Video of U.S. Ambassador Visiting MEDRETE in Dominican Republic
Photos of MEDRETE/Cataract Eye Surgery Medical Mission in the Dominican Republic
U.S. Southern Command Humanitarian Assistance Information
U.S. State Department Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs
Army South Commander: Beyond the Horizon To Have Far-reaching Impact
Guatemala, U.S. Armies Strengthen Partnership
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