SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras –
A nearly 50-person team from Joint Task Force-Bravo in partnership with the Belize Ministry of Health and Defense Force team will provide medical care Feb. 28 and 29 in Bella Vista and Independence, Belize.
During the medical readiness and training exercise, medical professionals will treat illnesses including respiratory infections, gastrointestinal issues, skin infections, pneumonia, tuberculosis, fungal infections, malnutrition, diabetes and high blood pressure.
"This is another great opportunity to team up with the Belize government and its' Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education," said Col. Matthew Rettke, JTF-Bravo's Medical Element commander. "This partnership is key and gives our personnel an opportunity to provide medical care in austere conditions similar to what they would encounter in a disaster response."
The professional exchange between U.S. and Belize doctors and nurses will allow for improvement in patient treatment and enhance the U.S., Belize partnership.
The MEDRETES that JTF-Bravo conducts across Central America not only provide care to people, but keep the task force members postured to respond in the event they are called to support countries in need of disaster relief similar to the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti or the Belize flood in November 2008.