Medical readiness exercise concludes in Ghana

Story by Staff Sgt. Luke Wilson

U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa

ACCRA, Ghana — A team composed of U.S. Army and Air Force medical professionals from the U.S. Army Medical Command, Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, 86th Medical Squadron, Veterinary Readiness Activity – Rheinland Pfalz, Dental Health Activity – Rheinland Pfalz and the State Medical Detachment, North Dakota National Guard, concluded a medical readiness exercise (MEDREX) with the Ghana Armed Forces, May 31. The ceremony marked the end of activities that ran from May 13-31, at 37th Military Hospital in Accra.

“Over the past three weeks, with nearly 1,000 patients seen, we have accomplished a great deal,” said U.S. Army Col. Claude Burnett, MEDREX U.S. medical officer-in-charge and director of global health engagement at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center,

Burnett emphasized the impact of the program.

“Team MEDREX and our Ghanaian counterparts have performed exceptionally well.”

The 25-member U.S. medical team collaborated with Ghanaian doctors, nurses and medical repair technicians to provide patient care across various specialties throughout the three-week exercise.

MEDREX Ghana was integrated into exercise African Lion 2024, the largest annual combined, joint exercise of U.S. Africa Command, spanning Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia from April 19 through May 31. This exercise, involving approximately 8,100 personnel from over 27 nations and contingents from NATO, focused on enhancing readiness between the U.S. and partner nation forces.

“MEDREX 2024 was hugely successful, meeting its goals and objectives while enhancing the collaboration between the United States Military and the Ghana Armed Forces Medical Services,” said Maj. Gen. Raymond Ewusi, deputy chief of staff in charge of medical services, Ghana Armed Forces. “The knowledge gained and the relationships developed during this period are invaluable for all participants.”

While in Ghana, the multinational team collaborated and shared best medical practices while delivering care to patients in the community. Their service encompassed a broad spectrum, including general surgery, veterinary care, anesthesiology, operating room procedures, OB/GYN, dental care, emergency room services and bio-engineering equipment repair.

Since 1994, the North Dakota National Guard has maintained a productive relationship with Ghana, conducting numerous exchanges as part of the National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program (SPP).

Apart from Ghana, the North Dakota National Guard also maintains state partnerships with the African countries of Togo and Benin. The National Guard Bureau’s SPP is dedicated to fostering relationships that enhance global security, mutual understanding and cooperation, encouraging long-term ties across all societal levels and facilitating economic, political and military development between U.S. states and partner nations.

“It’s been an eye opening experience,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Brielle Marman, a dental assistant with the North Dakota State National Guard. “It has been a privilege to work alongside the Ghanaians and find alternative ways of providing patient care.”
Under the leadership of U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), MEDREX facilitates the exchange of medical procedures and enhancement of treatment capabilities among medical personnel from the U.S. military and partner nations. This marks the fourth out of eight scheduled MEDREXs by SETAF-AF across the African continent in fiscal year 2024.

MEDREX is a medical readiness exercise program, planned and executed by SETAF-AF that allows military health professionals from the U.S. and their African partners to exchange medical practices, procedures and techniques that build and strengthen treatment capabilities, resulting in lasting relationships between the partners.

SETAF-AF provides U.S. Africa Command and U.S. Army Europe & Africa a dedicated headquarters to synchronize Army activities in Africa and scalable crisis-response options in Africa and Europe.