PHILADELPHIA –
To help restore medical infrastructure damaged by hurricanes, the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support’s Medical supply chain provided six mobile field clinics to Honduras through a US Southern Command humanitarian donation in April.
Made of repurposed shipping containers, the portable turnkey medical field clinics will help serve patients in remote areas without hospitals since the aftermath of Hurricanes Iota and Eta in November 2020. In total, three dental containers, one infectious disease lab, one maternity clinic, and one laboratory will bring relief to residents without organized healthcare.
“The clinics have an immediate and profound impact on the local community,” said Medical Supplier Operations Division team member Elena Raspitha.
The DLA Troop Support Medical team conducted oversight and coordinated with overseas counterparts, DLA Troop Support Europe and Africa who awarded the contract. These teams tracked the transport and installation with the vendor and USSOUTHCOM in each municipality: La Lima, La Planeta, and Baracoa.
This Whole of Government initiative was funded through an Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster and Civic Aid appropriation coordinated with USSOUTHCOM, in response to a Department of Defense Humanitarian Assistance Program request from the Honduran Ministry of Health.
“The DLA Troop Support Medical Customer Operations Collective/Field Medical Services Division secured the requirements with the customer, obtained funding, generated the order, and tracked items until they reached the customer,” said Medical Collective/FMS Division Chief Yvonne Poplawski.
“Troop Support Europe & Africa Procurement awarded the contract and traveled downrange to witness the installation/training efforts, and USSOUTHCOM J7/9-4 Civil Affairs/Humanitarian Assistance worked with the DLA Troop Support Medical Customer Operations Collective/FMS Division to socialize the medical clinic requirements in Honduras,” Poplawski said. “This work exemplifies DLA Troop Support’s logistical synchronization beyond distance or remoteness of a location overseas.“
Stakeholders involved in this substantial effort attended a ceremony honoring the humanitarian donation in April, and guests toured the mobile field clinics.
“At the donation ceremony, I was approached by many of the local population who will use these facilities” said USSOUTHCOM Division of Exercises and Coalition Affairs Director, retired Army Lt. Col. Kevin Bostick. “These clinics will significantly enhance the government of Honduras’ capacity to provide much needed medical and dental care that is conducive to building a healthy population in the region and help them access better health services.”