U.S. Army’s 1984th Hospital Pacific Strengthens Healthcare Infrastructure in Solomon Islands.
The 1984th U.S. Army Hospital Pacific (USAH-P), a military medical unit under the 9th Mission Support Command, has been actively involved in Global Healthcare Engagement (GHE) initiatives in Auki, Honiara, Gizo, and Munda.
As part of its mission, the 1984th USAH-P aims to provide medical support and collaborate with local healthcare teams to improve health outcomes in the region. In Munda, a key highlight of their recent activities was the introduction of a new ultrasound machine, which was facilitated by Lt. Col. Richard Teames, the officer in charge of the operating room and anesthesia section for the 394th Forward Surgical Team.
Lt. Col. Teames, an expert in ultrasound technology and a consultant to the machine’s manufacturer, worked closely with the local healthcare team in Munda to install the ultrasound machine that had arrived just three days prior. This process involved unpacking the equipment and preparing it for use. Following installation, Lt. Col. Teames and his colleagues provided training to local doctors and specialists on various aspects of the ultrasound machine, including scanning techniques, probe usage, and image management.
Shortly after its assembly, the ultrasound machine was put to immediate use to assess a critically ill premature infant. “We used the ultrasound to identify a large amount of free air in the baby’s belly, indicating a perforation in the intestinal tract,” Lt. Col. Teames noted. This swift diagnosis enabled the timely transfer of the infant to Honiara’s National Referral Hospital for appropriate care. In another instance, the ultrasound was utilized to perform nerve blocks for a patient with a severe diabetic infection. Lt. Col. Teames reported that this allowed the team to perform a toe amputation with effective anesthesia and without additional sedation, providing 22 hours of pain relief post-operation.
In addition to training Munda’s medical community on the proper use of the equipment, the teams emphasized the importance of effective application. Lt. Col. Teames remarked on the value of building relationships with the people of the Solomon Islands and expressed hope to return with future U.S. Department of Defense medical missions to continue collaborating with Munda’s medical professionals in improving healthcare outcomes in the region.
