US military team begins 2-week medical mission in Guyana

…as US$225,000 in supplies to be donated to medical facilities

The United States’ Lesser Antilles Medical Assistance Team (LAMAT), in partnership with Guyana’s Health Ministry, will perform surgical operations, provide dental services, and conduct professional knowledge exchanges over the next two weeks here.
A release from the US embassy in Georgetown said that the exchange will occur from February 20 through March 3 as part of the US Southern Command’s (USSOUTHCOM) Enduring Promise mission.

LAMAT, the release noted, is a medical team composed of approximately 29 US Air Force and Army medical and dental professionals and support staff who will provide free general surgery, emergency room care and dental care at Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation and West Demerara Regional Hospital.
The Health Ministry’s Deputy Director for Regional Health Services, Dr Veronica Griffith, welcomed the team at GPHC. Dr Griffith expressed excitement in developing the military-civilian partnership between the US team and the medical professionals in Guyana.
LAMAT operations have been coordinated with the Ministry of Health and hospital medical directors to take advantage of additional operating room capacity without displacing medical providers.
It added that the US medical professionals will work in tandem with local doctors to ensure continuity of care following all surgical procedures. The team brings with it the medicines and supplies necessary for the operations and will leave surplus supplies with the hospital. Overall, approximately US$225,000 in supplies are being donated to medical facilities.
Medical patients are selected in coordination with hospital medical directors, based upon the types of surgeries and procedures the US medical team is certified to perform; primarily GI surgeries such as hernias and cyst excisions. The US dental team will focus on treating underserved populations, concentrating on cleaning, fillings, extractions and preventative care.

“My team is humbled to have been invited by the Ministry of Health and US Ambassador to Guyana to participate in this much needed operation,” said Lt Col Gentry Mobley, LAMAT Mission Commander.
“It is important to the US to provide whatever help we can to take care of people in need. Our team is prepared to engage in Guyana, whether that be in the operating theatre, the dental clinic, helping with emergency room or experiencing the culture.”
In addition to Guyana, the LAMAT team completed operations in Suriname and will proceed to St Lucia to conduct medical assistance operations, providing relief to overwhelmed medical facilities and improving the Region’s collective ability to meet complex global challenges.