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Guatemala Welcomes Iwo Jima Mobile Medical Team

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS100915-05
9/15/2010

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Mavis Tillman, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command Public Affairs

PUERTO SANTO TOMAS, Guatemala (NNS) -- Medical personnel, currently embarked aboard the multi-purpose amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7), provided care Sept. 8 in Guatemala as part of Continuing Promise 2010 (CP10).

Each day, Puerto Barrios residents lined up behind gates surrounding the school to receive medical services that include surgical screening, optometry, adult and pediatric care, women's health education and dental services.

Translators and volunteers from the local communities assisted and interpreted enabling the medical team to screen patients and send them to be diagnosed and treated.

Medical one site-leader Cmdr. Cyrus Rad, said "The staff sees an average of 660 patients a day and fills about 200 prescriptions daily. Many patients come in with multiple complaints and others with multiple diagnosis, they all are taken care of before they exit."

As word of free medical care spread throughout the communities, thousands of local Guatemalans continued to line up around the site. Doctors, volunteers and translators often worked through lunch breaks to maximize the number of local patients treated.

"Each medical site has its purpose, but medical site one is the largest of the three sites with a one-stop shop," said Hospital Corpsman Dana Scott, Fleet Surgical Team Two. "It's busy because of its location in the center of the town."

Patients aren't the only ones who are benefiting from the experience. Service members and volunteers are able to pull away something more by helping those in need.

"I love helping in anyway possible, especially when it comes to the kids," said Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Carrie McKinley. "I was able to interact with and keep a lot of the kids occupied while their parents were getting treated. It was an awesome experience."

Iwo Jima will continue to bring medical relief to a number of South and Central American countries as part of CP10.