JULY 17, 2024 – The Vermont National Guard has embarked on a critical mission to enhance medical readiness in its ranks and in Senegal as part of the MedRex medical exercise. This year’s operation spans three key locations, including the austere environments of Tambacounda and Goudiri and a modern hospital in Kedougou.
Senegal is known for its hospitality, often referred to as “Teranga,” which signifies the warm, welcoming nature of its people. The MedRex team embraced this spirit, emphasizing its ability to impart “Teranga Healthcare,” providing compassionate and comprehensive care while building strong relationships with the local communities.
The team brought expertise in ophthalmology, emergency medical services (ambulance), obstetrics, service and logistics, prenatal care, biomedical technology, emergency care, pediatrics, dental and surgical care.
The two-week mission in June was further strengthened by the presence of Airmen from the New Hampshire National Guard and two doctors from the Austrian Bundesheer, highlighting the importance of the State Partnership Program.
The Vermont National Guard partners with Senegal and Austria in the Department of Defense National Guard Bureau program.
In Tambacounda, Vermont and New Hampshire National Guard medical professionals trained local health care providers, focusing on trauma care, emergency response and preventative medicine. Their efforts improved the local staff’s medical capabilities and fortified their own readiness for future deployments.
“Tambacounda is the largest city in the region with over a million people, “said Col. Laura Woodson, physician assistant. “This facility can become quickly inundated with patients. We hope to be here to help take some pressure off the system and add value to the way they move forward with their practice while also keeping in mind their limitations and needs for having to operate in nuanced ways as they do now.
“It is truly eye-opening for the team to see such different, unique ways to handle certain interventions in a place where technology and supply is very limited,” she said.
During the first week in Tambacounda, two doctors from the Austrian Bundesheer contributed their expertise in European medical practices and cross-cultural medical collaboration. Their presence underscored the strength of the trilateral partnership between Austria, Senegal, and the Vermont National Guard.
“We are here to assess for the Austrian Bundesheer what we can provide in the future with exercises of our own,” said Col. Cristoph Bierbamer, medical doctor of the Austrian Bundesheer “We couldn’t have asked for a better group to integrate with. The American contingent is very knowledgeable and are easy to work alongside with.”
The Soldiers and Airmen navigated language barriers using interpreters and translation technology.
Goudiri presented challenges similar to those faced by Tambacounda, with limited medical infrastructure and resources. The Vermont National Guard team worked with local health workers to develop protocols for handling medical emergencies and routine care.
Goudiri’s medical center operates much like an urgent care center mixed with primary care. It is a small facility in a very remote part of Senegal that still requires medical access for its population. Much of the support staff at the center are locals who learn on the job. The Vermont National Guard team shared some knowledge and learned how the staff adapts to situations that arise.
“I was able to work with the ambulance crews here and teach them about how we handle certain aspects of emergency response, which was a wholly new concept in this very remote location,“ said Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Frizzell, health care specialist. “Typically, the responders here may simply be drivers and not trained medical professionals. It was good to integrate with them and assist in some of the emergent trauma response cases that occurred while on duty.”
Lt. Col. Cristopher Winners, physician assistant for the Vermont Army National Guard, brought years of forward operating experience to the small facility and immediately scrubbed in for surgical interventions.
“It is such a small and remote area that at times the best you can do is really stabilize a patient and prepare to move them to a higher level of care,” Winners said. “We came in not to necessarily change how they operate but to provide some more knowledge and, of course, assist in care ourselves.”
Sgt. Haley Kennedy-Quinn focused on emergency medical care and prenatal care.
“Observing their procedural operational flow was very interesting,” said Kennedy-Quinn, “from how patients were triaged and then sent to different sections of the hospital to retrieve items for care was unique compared to the way we do things in the states. We aren’t here to implement change on how they function but more to understand how they do things and to learn from each other.”
Frizzell and two Bundesheer doctors responded to a trauma call on the outskirts of a local village while working alongside the Senegalese ambulance crews.
“We were able to help two individuals that were severely injured and bring them back to the local care center,” said Col. Cristoph Bierbamer, Austrian Bundesheer. “Typically, you have teams like an ambulance who hand off a patient to the emergency department staff, but here we were with the patients from the initial point and during the emergency care at the hospital.”
The hospital in Kedougou is newer and more advanced than the facilities in Tambacounda and Goudiri. Here, the Vermont National Guard focused on high-level medical training and the exchange of advanced techniques.
“Even though the facility is of a much higher standard, it is evident that mortality and morbidity factors are still very high,” said Capt. Peter Lannon, medical care nurse. “The technology this facility provides does give the patients an edge over other hospitals in the region.”
Throughout the mission, members of the Vermont National Guard learned about the medical practices in Senegal while imparting their knowledge, creating a best practices exchange between service providers.
The Vermont National Guard has been a state partner with Senegal since 2008 and is now in the eighth year of conducting medical-specific training with its partner nation. This partnership underscores the commitment to improving global health security and readiness.
“Missions like these are crucial to our overall readiness.” said Maj. Chad Paquette, officer in charge of the Kedougou team. “You never know how the geopolitical landscape will shift and if you’ll have to operate in a similar environment.”
Throughout MedRex 2024, the Vermont National Guard’s presence in Senegal has underscored the importance of international cooperation in medical readiness. The training and support provided in Tambacounda, Goudiri and Kedougou elevated the medical capacity of these regions and strengthened the bonds between the United States, Senegal and Austria.
The collaboration with Airmen from the New Hampshire National Guard and the Austrian Bundesheer doctors has exemplified the power of joint operations.
“This team has been the most cohesive and adaptable team I have seen in my multiple trips here,“ said Lt. Col. James Burrows, officer in charge of MedRex 2024. “Their ability to overcome austere working environments in multiple locations is unprecedented.”
By Sgt. Denis Nunez
Joint Force Headquarters
Vermont National Guard Public Affairs