PACAF IHS teaches techniques to Laos team

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Tom Czerwinski
  • Pacific Air Forces Public Affairs
HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii --  A team of International Health Specialists from Pacific Air Forces taught a first responder medical course during a subject matter expert exchange (SMEE) in Vientiane, Laos July 7 - 23.

Students, doctors and nurses from hospital 103 here, attended the first ever training exchange to learn the U.S. based first responder techniques and become trainers for their countries emerging medical care network.

"The techniques we are learning here from the U.S. Airmen will be very useful and the equipment they have brought will be used regularly," said Vilaphone Thoudsanikone, a doctor of internal medicine at hospital 103.

"It has been a very good subject matter exchange that has allowed us to bring in a lot of needed equipment for ambulance use and teaching Laotian medical personnel the fundamentals of our U.S. based emergency medical system," said Master Sgt. John Strothenke, International Health Specialist from Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. "The techniques they learn here during this first responder course may be tailored to fit the needs of their country and build capacity in Laos." 

During the two week SMEE, the four person IHS team conducted train the trainer courses for 20 Laotian students, and then evaluated them in teaching the newly learned techiques to other Laotian medical personnel during the second week of the the SMEE, according to Master Sgt. Tracy Lewis, PACAF IHS.

The PACAF led SMEE supports U.S. Pacific Command's capacity-building efforts with the goal  to empower the Laotian medical corps with skills and resources, so they may be self-sustainable.