Humanitarian Outreach

Military Missions

Military Assistance

The United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) provides support to Honduras through joint humanitarian exercises known as New Horizons-Honduras 2006, which will take place between January and May 2006. These exercises will benefit Honduran communities through the building of four schools and one maternity ward, as well as benefit the military readiness through three exercises to take place in Atlantida and La Mosquitia.  Additionally, both militaries will examine ways to improve assistance during natural disasters, such as Hurricane Beta and Tropical Strom Gamma Humanitarian, through Allied Forces Exercises. The Joint Task Force Bravo will participate in New Horizons 2006 exercises by providing fourteen medical readiness exercises (MEDRETE) throughout the country to include surgical attention for problems associated with hands, pediatrics, dental, and ophthalmology, among others.

MEDRETEs

As part of these specialized MEDRETEs, U.S. and Honduran optometrists often successfully restore vision in an innumerable amount of Honduran patients.  One in particular is worth noting. Meisy Karina Umanzor is a 5-year-old Honduran girl born with cataracts in both eyes, who lives in a rural area near Choluteca.  Through a series of operations, Meisy had the vision in both her eyes restored during a MEDRETE in January 2005.  This is one of literally thousands of miracles performed by these visiting MEDRETE.

Between 1994 and 2004, MEDRETES treated over 238,281 Honduran medical patients or nearly 22,000 patients annually. Additionally, 53,991 Honduran dental patients were treated or nearly 5,000 annually. Each MEDRETE costs vary between $100-250K (depending on nature of services provided).

 

In fiscal year 2006, there are 17 MEDRETEs scheduled, covering the such medical specialties as eye surgery, hand surgery, urology, eyes, nose and throat, pediatrics, and dental.