By AF Capt. Tony Wickman
Navy Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Darsean Sharpe, Kunar PRT from Camp Wright in Asadabad, conducts a clinic health assessment with Rohullah, the clinic's medical doctor, at the Marawara district clinic, Jan. 14. Health assessments are designed to ensure clinics are fully operational and health issues for area residents can be addressed. (Photo by AF Tech. Sgt. Brian Boisvert)
KUNAR PROVINCE – The Kunar PRT visited the Marawara district to check up on the construction progress of the new district center, the Lahor Dag school project, and to evaluate the local clinic’s needs.
“The only thing left to do is finish the well and some cosmetic work,” said Navy Builder Chief Petty Officer David Zahm, PRT engr, while inspecting the district center. “The generator will be placed on site once the govt moves into the facility. They've a little bit of clean up to do, but once that's done it's ready for business.”
At the school, Zahm said he was pleased with the progress and quality of the work. “I like the brick work here; they’ve done a really good job with it,” he said. The school is a part of the govt’s plan to increase the number of schools in the prov. to educate children, while providing the additional benefit of generating jobs to stimulate the economy in the area.
The district center will help connect people to the govt and give the local ANSF a place to operate, while bringing peace and stability to the district. The project also helped create jobs for local workers.
At the Marawara Comprehensive Health Clinic on the east bank of the Kunar River, Navy Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Darsean Sharpe, PRT medic, visited with Rohullah, the clinic’s medical doctor, to determine what health issues were affecting residents and to determine the needs of the clinic.
One of the issues Sharpe addressed was clinic staffing. “I've a staff of 9 people. I've a midwife, a community health specialist, 4 vaccination specialists, 2 guards and me,” the doctor said. “We treat an average of 2,000 patients a month, and approx 59 to 60 births a month. We can do minor surgeries, and can support a mass casualty depending on injuries.”
The doctor said his staff vaccinates people mainly for tetanus, measles, polio, hepatitis B and influenza. He said they also treat a few cases of TB. “We're not seeing too many children with malnutrition, which is good, and because it's the beginning of winter months, we don’t see too much malaria,” Rohullah said. “If we see malnutrition in people, we help them and get them education to prevent it.”
The doctor also told Sharpe of the improvements being done to make the clinic better, as well as praised Aide Medicale Int'l, the Afghan govt contracted supplier for medical staff, equipment and supplies in Kunar prov., for helping provide the supplies he needs to operate the clinic.
The PRT assists in health sector development in Kunar Prov., by promoting and developing the health care system in accordance with the Afghan National Development Strategy. “We evaluate the clinics to make sure they have all the things they need to meet the needs of the village,” Sharpe said.
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DoD Imagery
(DoD photo by Tech. Sgt. Francisco Govea II, AF)
Army Spc. Luis Cabrales, with 8th Sqdrn, Bear Troop, 1st Cav Regt, provides medical aid to an injured ANP officer near Dabaray, Jan. 3, 2010.
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DoD Imagery
( DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Angelita Lawrence, AF)
AF pararescuemen from the 66th Expeditionary Rescue Sqdrn deployed to Camp Bastion, provide medical attention to an Afghan who has suffered gunshot injuries, Dec. 8, 2009. The pararescuemen will administer medical care while in transit to a medical facility.
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Iraqi Stories:
United States Forces - Iraq PAO
USF-W signs over Camp Al Taqaddum to GoI control
CAMP AL TAQADDUM – USF – West returned Camp Al Taqaddum and COB Waleed to the GoI, Jan. 15, 2009. Lt. Col. James McHugh, cmdr, 151st MP Bn, 1st Bde, 82nd Abn Div (Advise and Assist Bde), and Sameer Al-Haddad, secretariat to the PM of Iraq, officially transferred Camp Al Taqaddum to GoI control in a ceremony at the camp.
Camp Al Taqaddum and COB Waleed are the latest in a series of bases turned over to Iraq by USF-W, including bases near al-Qaim, Habbaniyah and Fallujah, and several smaller COPs throughout Anbar prov.
These facilities are able to be closed or transferred to Iraqi control, because the ISF have assumed full responsibility for security in their respective areas.
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USF-I
Iraqi Army arrests Promised Day Brigade attack group leader
BAGHDAD - IA soldiers arrested a suspected Promised Day Brigade (PDB) attack group leader and 3 suspected criminal accomplices Jan. 17, during a joint security op conducted in NE Baghdad.
Pursuant to a warrant issued by an Iraqi court, the IA and U.S. advisors searched a residential building for a suspected PDB attack group leader responsible for multiple deadly attacks against SECFOR in Iraq. In addition, the warranted individual is suspected to have close ties to senior leaders of the PDB terrorist group.
Based on preliminary questioning and evidence collected at the scene, IA soldiers identified and arrested the suspected PDB attack group leader and 3 suspected criminal accomplices without incident.
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January 16, 2010
ISF pursue AQI-explosives networks in northern Iraq
BAGHDAD - ISF arrested 5 suspected terrorists Jan. 15, during 2 joint security ops conducted in northern Iraq targeting suspected members of AQI explosives cell.
In a rural area located approx 108 km SW of Kirkuk, the 3rd ERU and U.S. advisors searched a building for a suspected AQI member believed to be involved in planning deadly VBIED attacks in the Mosul and Bayji areas. After conducting preliminary questioning and assessing the evidence at the scene, IP arrested 2 suspected criminal associates of the warranted AQI member.
During a separate security op conducted about 5 km south of Mosul, ISF and U.S. advisors searched a residential building for a suspected AQI-explosives cell member. The security team discovered in the building a hidden compartment that contained an AK-47 rifle and AQI propaganda. Evidence collected at the scene led ISF to identify and arrest the warranted individual and 2 suspected criminal accomplices.
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NATO TRAINING MISSION - IRAQ
Kurdish Zerevani Policemen Train with Federal Police
BAGHDAD - Kurdish police forces and their Iraqi Arab counterparts took another step toward integrating the SECFOR here as 40 Zerevani police began a joint training program in January at the Iraqi Special Training Police Academy.
This is only the 2nd group of Kurdish Zerevani police ever to participate in the intensive 9-week course, which is supervised by the elite Italian Carbinieri for NATO Training Mission in Iraq (NTM-I). The first group of 40 graduated Dec. 2009.
Carabinieri Col. Isidori, Cmdr NTM-I Gendarmerie Training Div said that the initiative was in line with the spirit and intent of the NATO mission. "We're very encouraged to see this program continue. It shows us the strength and committment of the ISF for integration and unity."
The intensive training program builds weapons and shooting skills, high speed arrest and control techniques, and techniques to clear buildings of criminals and terrorists. The NTM-I Italian Carabinieri conduct advanced training, which includes operational planning, police intel, counter-insurgency skills, first aid and basic logistics. Also, throughout the course an emphasis is placed on the rule of law and respect for human rights.
The course is designed to identify and develop Iraqis who will become the trainers for others. This "Train the Trainer" approach aims to establish a self-sufficient non-sectarian training apparatus that will continue to replenish the IFP.
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