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APS Medical Outreach Team Provides Care in Ghana

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS100329-04
Release Date: 3/29/2010 3:03:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (SW/AW) Martin Cuaron, Africa Partnership Station Public Affairs

TEMA, Ghana (NNS) -- U.S. Navy and Air Force medical personnel conducted medical outreach programs in Tema, Ghana, March 16-25 as part of Africa Partnership Station (APS) West 2010.

A combined total of 17 Navy and Air Force personnel worked alongside local staffs at the Manhean and Pram-Pram Health Centers to provide medical and dental care to an average of more than 200 patients a day.

"This was a great opportunity to reach out and help the people of Tema," said Air Force Maj. Tim Gacioch, APS medical liaison officer, from Chicago. "This project not only fosters good will and relations between the United States and Ghana, but it also increases the overall health of the area by providing medical and dental care to people who need it."

The local staff provided space for the medical outreach team to perform medical examinations, an optometrist-screening area where people could have their eyes checked and be fitted for glasses and two dental rooms for performing oral procedures.

"Every patient here is very thankful for the services we're providing," said Chief Hospital Corpsman (SW) Blake Cooper. "Some of these kids you see running around may have never seen a doctor before, so providing these medical check-ups could have a big impact on their lives."

"It's a great help what America is giving to us," said Elise Chamberlain, a Ghanaian doctor who works at the Manheam Health Center. "They are able to supply us and the community with medicine that is hard to come by or that we are unable to buy because we cannot afford it."

The health centers provide medical and dental care for the surrounding community of 110,000 people.

"We work as a team here, and by sharing medical knowledge we will be better trained to help everyone that comes to our clinic," said Chamberlain.

"APS is all about building relationship," said Cooper. "This is a two-way learning experience. They learn from us and we learn from them, and that's why APS is so successful"

"It makes me happy to know we're here to help as many people as we can," said Air Force Staff Sgt. Michael Wilde, a dental assistant from Jacksonville, N.C.

APS is an international security cooperation initiative aimed at building and strengthening long-term relationships and global maritime partnerships through training and other collaborative activities, which will improve maritime safety and security.