Photo By Cpl. Eric Arndt | Commander Barry Duncan, a general dentist with 4th Dental Battalion, Dovvins Air Force...... read more read more
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III Marine Expeditionary Unit Public Affairs
KORAT, Thailand — Unfortunately, many people in Thailand share similar situations. According to the World Health Organization's Jan. 2002 Thailand Health System Profile, there was only one physician per 3,341 people. Qualified healthcare workers such as doctors, dentists and nurses are in short supply to perform standard medical procedures.
To help the country's strained healthcare system and ease the burden of so many patients, military medical personnel from the Kingdom of Thailand, the U.S., Japan and Singapore held a medical and dental civic assistance project at the Ban Thang school.
The project is the first of 10 similar missions scheduled to occur in the Kingdom of Thailand during Exercise Cobra Gold 2008, a regularly-scheduled joint/combined exercise focused on maintaining and improving military to military relationships among the exercise's participating countries.
The idea is simple – bring lots of medical supplies, set up shop in an open area, and assist as many people as possible in the time allotted.
"Everyone is welcome to come," said Cmdr. Christopher Pearce, the officer in charge of the exercise's medical missions. "As long as our doors are open, we will see anybody.
"There are plenty of people to help, and we are anticipating over 1,000 people," Pearce added.
The patients began arriving early in the morning and waited for the project members to develop their temporary medical charts and diagnose their ailments.
After being transferred to one of several specialized care areas, the patients received medical treatment in a multitude of ways, including eye and dental examinations and prescribed pharmaceuticals when necessary.
According to Pokkatok, everyone looked forward to the project and all it entailed.
"I was not anxious, as I had a tooth pulled before, and I am very happy," Pokkatok said, after his troublesome pain had been relieved. "I am happy because I wanted to see the people from all the countries, and they came to help everybody."
At the end of the day, more than 600 people were seen for everything from a cobra bite to acid reflux disease, welcoming the help as graciously as anyone with a three-month toothache can.
| Date Taken: | 05.15.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 05.15.2008 21:54 |
| Story ID: | 19457 |
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| Web Views: | 185 |
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