FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AFNS) —
December 2022 marked the completion of a five-year program to enhance the expeditionary medical capabilities of four African partner countries.
He African Rapid Response Association for PeacekeepingFounded in 2015, it is a Department of State-Initiative directed and focused on generating the capacity to rapidly deploy peacekeeping operations on the continent. The program provides assistance in multiple areas of capacity, but the Center for Engagement in Global Health at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences focused on building medical capabilities that support rapid responses to regional crises with the armed forces of Ghana, Rwanda, Senegal and Uganda since 2017.
“The full and joint support of the force was critical for CGHE to establish and sustain the five-year investment,” said Lt. Col. Paul Conroy, Air Force international health specialist at CGHE.
Experts in the field of United States Africa CommandUnited States Air Force, ArmyY Navyand other parts of USU designed and conducted training aimed at building expeditionary field hospital capabilities.
“The joint team brought insights from each organization to enhance the skills, structures and processes required to set up and maintain a deployable field hospital and provide care to victims on site,” Conroy said.
The program provided equipment and used a phased approach to training in many functional areas, including logistics, medical planning, tactical combat casualty care, and infection control.
As the program grew, so did the associations. Integration of the National Guard State Partnership Program greater continuity of the APRRP program. The SPP links US states with partner countries, resulting in deep and lasting relationships.
Three state associations participated in the medical component of APRRP; North Dakota and Ghana, Nebraska and Rwanda, and Vermont and Senegal. Guard members in these states cultivate long-term relationships to provide a lasting strategic advantage in support of the National Defense Strategy. SPP programs may include activities such as reciprocal visits, knowledge sharing, and bilateral military exercises and training. Since Guard members often serve in the same unit for many years, partner relationships endure over time.
“Thanks to the SPP, I assured our partner nation counterparts that I would support the program from start to finish. The Guardsmen’s focus on fundamental relationships allowed partners to connect and acknowledge each other on a personal level, before discussing assessments. Our partners get to see the same familiar faces, and that builds trust,” said Maj. Louisa Harness, North Dakota Air National Guard.
The Ghana-North Dakota partnership contributed to Ghana’s successful capacity building and regional stability. This partnership was important for Ghana’s preparation to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The field hospital developed through the APRRP program was used as part of Ghana’s national pandemic response.
“Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic was an opportunity to test the field hospital facilities and see if it would meet the requirements for the successful deployment of a peacekeeping operation. Through this, Ghana found the underlying challenges and reached out to our partners to reinforce the field hospital for a peacekeeping scenario,” said Lt. Col. Delali Adzigbli, an officer with the Ghana Armed Forces.
Today, Ghana’s field hospital is deployed in support of a peacekeeping operation in South Sudan.
“Ghana was given the opportunity to deploy rapid peacekeeping operations in South Sudan using the capabilities developed during APRRP. This gave us the opportunity to stand up and know that we can sustain a field hospital,” said Lt. Col. Adzigbli. “Knowledge is something that we must continue to build to improve interoperability. To accomplish this, we identify our needs and how best to help our partners make APRRP more successful. Thanks to APRRP, Ghana is now impacting the lives of the people of South Sudan, and for us, that is a great success,” Adzigbli said.
The deployment of capabilities built through the APRRP program is a testament to the impact that global health engagement can have in strengthening rapid response capabilities.
“The global health commitment builds confidence and confidence that my brothers and sisters in arms, regardless of where I deploy, will take care of me. Participating in a joint setting enhanced this trust-building. Knowing that we all speak the same tactical language, even if we don’t speak the same language, is powerful.” said Lt. Col. Angela Ling, of the Nebraska Air National Guard.
In the end, all four countries met UN standards for the deployment of their field hospitals.
“We benefited and continue to benefit from APRRP. Ghana has continued with the programs and has become the trainer of trainers. We continue to train other staff members on the capabilities we built during APRRP,” Adzigbli said.
