USS Denver Collaborates Medical Training

Amphibious transport dock ship USS Denver (LPD 9) medical staff began a two-day basic lifesaving training in a collaborated session at National Hospital Guido Valadares (HNGV) in Dili, Timor-Leste, Aug. 28 during a scheduled port visit.

The basic lifesaving training incorporates CPR and basic patient stabilization in a hands-on fashion where the attendees will then take the skills they learn back to their home clinics and continue training their staff.

The training is just one part of a much larger health initiative and is held in collaboration with staff from the Royal Darwin Hospital, in Darwin, Australia, Timor-Leste’s Ministry of Health Directorate of Community Health Services, HNGV, the National Hospital Referral and Ambulance Services, St. John of God Healthcare, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID)-supported health improvement project (HADIAK).

“This effort once again brings the widest array of partners imaginable together,” said U.S. Ambassador to Timor-Leste Judith Fergin. “The range of Timor-Leste-based partners is large, maybe even unprecedented.”

For many medical staff members of Denver, the event serves as their first international medical training, but they have high hopes for the future benefits that it could provide.

“This is a program that has a definite curriculum that they hope to continue to use long after we leave,” said Lt. Bethany J. God, Denver’s medical doctor. “It’s not something that should be one-and-done, they should be able to teach and continue this program after we’re gone as well.”

“The next two days will set the standard and the model for our cooperation through years ahead,” said Fergin.

Denver is on patrol with the Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), commanded by Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON), 11 and is currently participating in Exercise Koolendong with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit.

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Press Release, August 29, 2013; Image: US Navy