The United States donated a field hospital valued at approximately $640,000 to the government of Dominica. In early June, as part of the donation, the U.S. manufacturer of the field hospital has been training personnel from Dominica’s Ministry of Health, the Office of Disaster Management (ODM), the Dominica Fire and Ambulance Service, and the Dominica Cadet Corps on the setup and use of the field hospital at the Dominica Botanic Gardens.

The hospital was purchased by U.S. Southern Command through the Humanitarian Assistance Program. The field hospital includes five medical tents and one administration tent that can be connected, a 70 KVA generator, an air conditioning system, sinks, a water purification and distribution system, and 40 hospital beds.

“The field hospital will provide additional capacity to Dominica’s health system in the event of a natural disaster and is part of the U.S. government’s ongoing assistance to nations responding to the pandemic,” said U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Shane Moran, U.S. Embassy Bridgetown’s chief of Security Cooperation.

The field hospital will provide additional capacity to Dominica’s health system in the event of a natural disaster and is part of the U.S. government’s ongoing assistance to nations responding to the pandemic,” U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Shane Moran, U.S. Embassy Bridgetown’s chief of Security Cooperation.

“This initiative is in-keeping with the ODM’s goal to integrate comprehensive disaster management in our key sectors. The health sector will benefit tremendously from this donation as it provides redundancy and additional capacity to our health infrastructure. We are grateful to the U.S. government for this generous donation, and to the instructor and participants of this training program,” commented Fitzroy Pascal, National Disaster coordinator.

Twenty-three participants benefited from this training program. “The workshop is a great program. After the instructor leaves, the onus is on us to set up and maintain the facility. We are grateful for this training, it is interesting, fun, and we are learning a lot,” remarked participant Station Officer of the Dominica Fire and Ambulance Service, Matthew Prosper.

This donation builds on the longstanding partnership between the United States and Dominica. Through regional workshops, best practice exchanges, and the ongoing construction of emergency operations centers and disaster relief warehouses in Castle Bruce and Portsmouth, the United States is committed to Dominica’s hurricane preparedness and supporting coordinated emergency response.

Personnel from Dominica’s Ministry of Health, the Office of Disaster Management, the Dominica Fire and Ambulance Service, and the Dominica Cadet Corps received training on the setup and use of a field hospital the U.S. government donated to Dominica in early June 2021. (Photo: U.S. Embassy Bridgetown)

For more on security and defense issues around the globe, click on the links below: