For the most recent mini-MEDCAP, the team set up at a private residence in a remote village to reach those hampered by the distance to the clinic. They treated women and children in the morning and men in the afternoon. With the help of our interpreters, we had one medic screen, triage, and collect patient vital signs while the other two performed ordered procedures and filled prescriptions, said Air Force Senior Airman Conan Broyles, Panjshir PRT medic. The medics prepared for family medicine versus emergency medicine, a lesson they had learned on previous MEDCAPs so they set up their prescription kit accordingly. We mostly treated patients for arthritis, acid reflux, congestion and skin and eye irritations, said Air Force Tech. Sgt. Charles Campbell, noncommissioned officer in charge of medics. Campbell is deployed from Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. Campbell added that some conditions needed further evaluation and the medics explained this to the patient or parent and often provided a note to assist with the referral. The team saw more than 200 patients who were grateful for the visit. The medics were equally moved by the Afghans consideration of their well-being. A woman told me she prayed for the safety of the Americans every night and she had a dream that an American doctor was coming to the village, said Shahla Hammond, Panjshir PRT interpreter. That was very touching to all of us. |