USAFE team arrives in Ghana, aids disease research

  • Published
  • By Capt. Jenny Lovett
  • HQ USAFE Public Affairs
VOLTA, Ghana --  Medics from the U.S. Air Forces in Europe arrived in Accra, Ghana, Saturday as part of a medical exchange initiative with the Ghana military and to help further a Naval research study on leishmaniasis, a parasite that causes skin sores.

The team is partnering with Ghana military physicians to conduct simultaneous humanitarian medical outreach for patients from Lake Volta villages until Friday offering general dentistry, optometry and basic medical care as well as comparing and exchanging medical techniques and information with each other.

"It is an amazing opportunity to engage with out Ghanaian counterparts and practice our specialties in a unique environment," said Air Forces Col. Paul Young, team lead deployed from the USAFE Surgeon General's office at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

After visiting with village elders Monday, the team anticipates seeing over 500 patients per day at the local clinic in Taviefe, a village settled deep in the northern jungles of Ghana near Ho.

One Air Force and one Army dermatologist joined the team from the U.S. and will treat topical or cutaneous diseases and screen for leischmaniasis.

"I don't entirely know what to expect but I anticipate treating inflamed skin, fungal infections and pigmentary disorders probably associated with leprosy, and that's important to treat because it can create pain as well as socio-economic concerns for the community," said Air Force Maj. Sylvia Parra, dermatologist deployed from Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, whose experience is mainly in South America but volunteered for this mission because of an interest in tropical medicine.

Tropical medicine involves unusual diseases or diseases that are not well researched or understood, including leischmaniasis, a skin disorder caused by parasitic bites from sand flies, and a major study undertaken by the U.S. Navy.

"There are four forms of leish and this strain is unusual because the only leish found in humid jungle regions like Volta until now have been in South America," said Navy Lt. Greg Raczniak, head of the Navy study who has been researching in Ghana for 18 months.

More than 1,500 cases have been reported by American soldiers in Iraq and 90 percent of the world's cases are in the Middle East. Dr. Raczniak will use the medical workshop in Taviefe as a platform for continued research of the disease in order to determine cures and preventive methods.

Simultaneously, oral surgery is expected to yield numerous patients.

"I'll use military personnel extraction techniques and help relieve pain so the patient is able to get proper nutrition and go on with daily activities," said Air Force Capt. Aaron Johnson, dentist deployed from Lajes Field, Portugal. "Anyone who's had a toothache knows how hard it is to do anything when they are concentrating on how much their tooth hurts. Hopefully I can provide some relief (to the villagers)."

The team will distribute more than 800 pairs of glasses to those who need them but they will not treat illnesses and diseases that require long term care due to a lack of appropriate follow up care.

"We will treat what we can in the next week and offer medications for acute pain to hopefully better the patient's quality of life," said Air Force Capt. Amy Gammill, team internist deployed from RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom.

Preventive therapy and pain relief will be offered to the cases that can't be treated due to extended follow up care or lack of resources at the facility.

"We will provide whatever our resources and time allow for as many patients as we can see this week. Making someone's life even a little more comfortable means a lot to their everyday function," said Dr. Young, "and as a provider, it means a lot to me."