Press Releases 2003

March 21, 2003

U.S., Panama Team Up For MEDRETE

North Carolina airmen arrived this week to offer health care to residents in several of Panama.s most remote areas.

The exercise, a coordinated effort between the U.S. government and the Panamanian Ministry of Health, is drawing hundreds of patients of all ages daily, the majority arriving on foot, some traveling for 8 or 9 hours to receive the free medical and dental care.

"The people are so poor that they can't afford basic medical care," said Air Force Captain Rick Horak of Cincinnati, "They're very appreciative for even the simple things". The airmen are providing a wide array of health services, including dentistry, optometry, gynecology, ophthalmology and internal medicine.

Interpreters are on hand to aid the airmen. Fernando Ellington, a local Panamanian who speaks English, Spanish and the local Ngobe dialect (for which there is no written language) volunteered his services as interpreter.

"We are very grateful to the Americans," Ellington said, "I am happy to help in some small way".

Capt. Horak said the language barrier is the greatest challenge and praised the work of all the interpreters. "We would be totally lost without them and wouldn.t have accomplished anything".

The Medical Readiness Training Exercise (MEDRETE) will continue through Friday at Boca de Soloy and then move to Cerro Iglesia. The exercise incorporates airmen from Selfridge AFB, Michigan, Scott AFB, Illinois, Lackland AFB, Texas, and Kirkland AFB, New Mexico. But the majority are from the 916th AMDS, Seymour Johnson ANG Base, North Carolina.