ADF STAFF
Medical personnel from the Kenya Defence Forces and the U.S. Army concluded a two-day medical civic action program in Samburu County, Kenya, as part of humanitarian assistance efforts during exercise Justified Accord 2023.
It marked the latest in a series of combined force medical outreaches between the two countries.
“This is really a culmination of all the previous engagements, to improve upon them and continue to broaden and strengthen the relationships already forged,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Rhonda Dyer, a public health nurse. “The relationships already existed with individual nations, but this exercise has brought all the partners together.”
Officials staged the program, also known as a MEDCAP, during U.S. Africa Command’s largest military exercise in East Africa. U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa leads the exercise, which includes nearly 1,000 participants from 20 nations representing four continents. The exercise’s purpose is to support regional security, crisis response and humanitarian assistance.
Day 1 at Archer’s Post Sub-County Hospital brought more than 300 patients, mostly with gastrointestinal and musculoskeletal issues, and some snakebites with infections.
“We were able to treat all of those,” Dyer said. “But probably the highlight of that day was when a pregnant patient visited the clinic, and the staff was able to assist with the baby’s delivery within minutes of her arrival.”
Most patients who visited the clinic brought multiple children with them, some of whom tagged along with military camera crews and assisted with taking photos while family members received medical treatment.
The second day of the program took place at Larisoro Dispensary in Kalama, where Kenyan and U.S. Army medics treated more than 450 patients. The dispensary serves as a maternity ward, and the combined team provided free medical services such as blood pressure and diabetes screenings, laboratory tests, and prescriptions against various diseases.
Aloise Lekupe, Kenyan officer in charge of the Larisoro Dispensary, said, “Personally, I prefer that these joint medical programs would be more frequent. Most of the people in this area live below the poverty level. So when they need medical services, they just stay home. They use what little money they earn just to put food on the table. Medical services are a luxury for them.”
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