Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington DC (March 15, 2011) – A U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) medical readiness and training exercise began in Santo, Dominican Republic, on March 6. At the request of the Government of the Dominican Republic, U.S. Army North Atlantic Regional Medical Command along with the Dominican Armed Forces Medical Team conducted a medical mission focused on humanitarian assistance. The medical services, provided at the Central Hospital of the Dominican Armed Forces by a 20-member team from the United States and the Dominican Republic, include pediatric and adult plastic surgery services for the reconstruction of cleft lips and cleft palates, jaw surgery, and repair of craniofacial deformities.
All medical care will be provided free of charge by the Department of Plastic Surgery from Walter Reed Military Medical Center and the National Naval Medical Center.
This is the sixth Medical Readiness Training Exercises (MEDRETE) mission to Santo Domingo by members of the U.S. Armed Forces working alongside medical professionals from the Dominican Republic to provide medical assistance to children from different areas of the Dominican Republic.
The MEDRETE operations were developed with the support of the Central Hospital of the Armed Forces (the host institution), the Office of the First Lady, the United States Embassy, and the Ministries of Public Health and the Armed Forces.
So far this year, 29 people have undergone surgery.
US personnel
Doctors: 8
OR Nurses: 2
OR Techs: 3
Support Personnel: 5
Dominican Republic Personnel
Doctors (plastic surgeons): 4
Surgical Residents: 9
Head of Anesthesia (HN) 1
Head of Pediatrics : 1
Head of Surgery: 2
