Regional Medical Exchanges Increase Expertise, Collaboration

U.S. military medical professionals from commands throughout the U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM) area of responsibility work regularly with counterparts from other nations to share expertise in a range of areas that ultimately benefit both military forces and civilian communities.

A 13th Air Force article about a medical laboratory surveillance workshop highlights one recent engagement that brought 40 interagency medical professionals from Laos, Thailand and the U.S. together to exchange ideas and lessons learned to collectively increase their capacity to effectively manage infectious diseases.

In the past year, PACOM medical professionals have conducted multiple workshops with partner nations on such topics as pandemic/avian influenza and HIV/AIDS. In April, military medical representatives from the U.S. and 18 Asia-Pacific nations met at the 19th Annual Asia-Pacific Military Medicine Conference in Seoul.

Through medically-oriented missions such as Pacific Partnership 2009, in conjunction with military exercises such as Balikatan, or in standalone events such as the Cambodian Interoperability Program, medical professionals are providing care to those in need, while also building important professional relationships and providing invaluable training opportunities.

In the coming months, workshops in various nations will focus on blast injury management and emerging infectious diseases.

By collaborating with regional partners, PACOM medical teams and their host-nation counterparts increase regional stability by more effectively identifying and responding to pressing medical issues and enhancing the ability to respond to crises if required.

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PACOM Working Group Builds Capacity to Combat Pandemic Influenza

Throughout the Asia-Pacific region there have been multiple deaths from avian bird flu, which is scientifically known as the H5N1 virus. While some nations around the world have downplayed the risks of the virus, a Feb. 26 article in the Monterey County Herald focuses on the ever-present threats it presents, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.

Currently, this virus can only be transferred from birds to humans through direct contact, but if a mutation were to occur in the strain that allowed for human-to-human transfer, the impact could be devastating to the region. It’s estimated that a pandemic could incapacitate as much as 40 percent of the work force throughout the region.

At the U.S. Pacific Command headquarters on Camp Smith, Hawaii, the Pandemic Influenza Fusion Working Group has been working for nearly four years to help ensure continued stability throughout the region if such a pandemic were to occur. Building international capacity to deal with a pandemic is key to success.

This capacity building includes meeting with other nations throughout the region to share information and provide training where it’s needed. Though this may not seem like a topic the military needs to focus on, the second and third order effects of a pandemic may call for military involvement. The working group is conducting multilateral engagements to ensure military forces are prepared to provide necessary support in the event of an outbreak.

The team is identifying and helping other countries in the region to identify shortcomings in the recognition of a pandemic, and its associated responses. Assessments are focusing on surveillance/prevention, preparedness/communication, and response/containment. These assessments are being conducted during various conferences and exercises.

In July, Joint Task Force Homeland Defense will lead Exercise Lightning Rescue, which is an annual event that incorporates the military, nongovernmental agencies, local emergency response teams, and other agencies into a simulated response to a pandemic. This year, international representatives have been invited to observe the exercise in hopes of furthering response capacity throughout the region.

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