U.S. and Panama Provide Medical Care in Darien

February 27, 2013

Medical personnel during the medical project

U.S. Ambassador Jonathan Farrar visited a medical project in Wala, Darien provided by an extensive team of medical professionals and support staff from U.S. Southern Command, the Panamanian Ministry of Health, the Darien Development Program (PRODAR), and the Panamanian Border Service (SENAFRONT). This medical project (MEDRETE) will provide preventative and general medicine as well as dentistry to the residents of two villages in the Darien region February 26 through March 1.

During the MEDRETE, U.S. and Panamanian medical personnel will practice working together to bring advanced medical services to remote communities alongside partners from the Panama Ministry of Health, PRODAR, and SENAFRONT.

U.S. Southern Command has been conducting medical readiness training exercises since Oct. 1993. During that time, they have conducted more than 295 missions and treated more than 341,400 medical patients, 67,400 dental patients and 14,300 surgical patients throughout Central America.

The relationships built and sustained through MEDRETEs enhance the ability of the U.S. and our regional partners to access and execute humanitarian assistance or disaster relief activities in Panama and throughout Central America.