Bujumbura, Burundi – The Burundi National Defense Force, in partnership with the U.S. Army’s Southern European Task Force, Africa, 44th Medical Brigade and 39th Forward Resuscitative Surgical Detachment, are hosting a Medical Readiness Exercise (MEDREX) at Military Hospital Kamenge (HMK) in Bujumbura, 15 May to 2 June 2023.
This is the third of eight MEDREXs scheduled throughout the African continent in fiscal year 2023 by the Southern European Task Force, Africa. SETAF-AF coordinates each MEDREX with African militaries and U.S.-based Army medical providers to enhance the medical operational capabilities of the participants.
“We have a shared interest in promoting a secure, stable and prosperous Africa,” said Maj. Gen. Tod Wasmund, commanding general of SETAF-AF. “The MEDREX program is an important component of that where our efforts – working with our African partners – address complex medical challenges. The importance of this work is significant.”
The teams of U.S. and Burundi military medical professionals will collaborate and exchange best medical practices while working shoulder to shoulder to provide care to patients in the community. They will offer a wide range of medical services ranging from general surgery, anesthesiology, and operating room procedures to Obstetrics/Gynecology, emergency room care and bio engineering equipment repair over the three-week medical exercise.
The 20-person U.S. Army Medical team is comprised of doctors, nurses, medics and bio equipment technicians from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
This MEDREX will allow the U.S. and Burundi military teams to exchange medical techniques and procedures that build and strengthen treatment capabilities resulting in a ready medical force and strengthened relationships between the partners.
About MEDREX
MEDREX is a medical training exercise, planned and executed by the United States Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, that allow military medical personnel from the U.S. Army and their African Partners to exchange medical practices, procedures and techniques that build and strengthen treatment capabilities, resulting in lasting relationships between medical professionals.
For more information about MEDREX, please visit https://www.setaf-africa.army.mil/topic/medrex or contact bujumburapao@state.gov.