By Master Sergeant Donald E. Preston
U.S. Marine Forces Europe, Public Affairs  Print     Share  

TALI, Ghana—Private First Class Zac J. Vaughn, U.S. Marine Corps, passes a wooden toy to a child who just received medical care in Tali, Ghana, in June, 2008. During an exercise called Shared Accord, U.S. service members partnered with Ghanaian medical professionals to administer medical and dental care to residents and treat livestock.(U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Master Sergeant Donald E. Preston)

DABOYA, Ghana—U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Anthony J. Ciotti administers de-worming medicine to a goat in Daboya, Ghana on June 18, 2008. The five-member veterinary team provided treatment to thousands of livestock to improve the health of the animals and the quality of life for Ghanaians. Additionally, 25 service members partnered with Ghanaian medical professionals to provide medical and dental care to thousands of residents in Northern Ghana. (U.S Marine Corps Photo by Master Sergeant Donald E. Preston)

TALI, Ghana Major Joseph R. Rogalinski, optometrist, conducts an eye exam on a Ghanaian man June 16, 2008, as part of a humanitarian assistance exercise called Shared Accord. Rogalinski was among approximately 25 medical, dental and optical service members who provided care to Ghanaians in numerous villages in northern Ghana. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Master Sergeant Donald E. Preston)

DABOYA, Ghana, 

Jun 26, 2008 — U.S. and Ghanaian soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines joined together June 10-26, 2008 through a program called Shared Accord to provide medical, dental, optical, and veterinary care in villages of Ghana.

"The Shared Accord exercise has always had the humanitarian assistance aspect to it," said Lieutenant Colonel Jeffery R. Eberwein, with U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe. "However, this is the first year the task force commander has made the decision to have the medical and veterinary aspects as the focus of effort."

Armed with medicines and eye wear, the doctors, dentists and optometrists assisted more than 5,000 Ghanaian men women and children. The U.S. medical, dental and optical staff worked side-by-side with their Ghanaian counterparts and provided various training as the patients were being seen.

Colonel Scott E. Sayre, a dentist, worked with Ghanaian nurse Staff Sergeant Peter Mensah during various exams and treatments.

"Peter is an ear-nose-throat nurse and while he is here he is studying with me on aspects like local anesthesia and oral anatomy," said Sayre. "Projects like this are very rewarding."

Additionally, the team provided de-worming treatment for thousands of animals to improve the health of livestock.

"Our goal is to assist 16,000 animals in de-worming. By removing the parasitic load in the animals it will not be reintroduced for several months," said Army Major James Riche, veterinarian. "In most cases this will result in a 10 percent increase in body weight for the livestock which in turn will benefit the individual families."

According to Riche, the efforts of the veterinary team will reduce the potential for transfer of diseases to humans and will improve the overall quality of life for local families.

"Ghana has had strong relations with the United States, and we want to continue building upon this relationship with projects like this," said Riche. "It is important, and we enjoy doing it."