Health Update

25 Jul 07

The community health initiatives for AACAP 07 are over 50% complete and will continue through to the end of AACAP. So far, the Health Team has been working hard and they have made a solid contribution to AACAP 07.

Below are some of the initiatives that the Health Team have implemented and undertakes during AACAP 07 to date:

LTCOL Salter prepares to operate

• Members spent time teaching students at the local school about the importance of regular exercise, healthy eating, and other general health issues.
• An ARMY vet spent three weeks in the community immunising, worming and treating dogs, horses and other family pets.
• The Environmental Health Team organised the purchase and erection of signage around public areas such as the water treatment plant, dump and sewerage infrastructure.
• Continued medical assistance, training and emergency response capabilities provided by the ARMY medics to the community and the local hospital staff.

The Health Team teaching strapping techniques

The small contingent of Health Staff has had a very busy AACAP 07 providing these services and maintaining the health of deployed personnel. The Health Team will stay until the end of AACAP to continue with these initiatives and to provide medical care to deployed personnel.

HEALTH TEAM

The RAP Ambulance Fleet

The Health Team performs many tasks for both the community and the deployed personnel.

A team of medics from the health team run the AACAP Regimental Aid Post (RAP). They provide treatment to all deployed personnel suffering from injuries or ailments and are equipped with two ARMY ambulances to respond to injuries on site or perform medical evacuations. The medic team also assist the local hospital staff with community health initiatives such as immunisation and inoculations.

The Health Team also provide training to the community medical personnel and assist with the education of local school children and parents within the community.

CPL Shawcross

Attached to the Health Team is a small contingent of Environmental Health personnel. The Environmental Health Team monitor the camp water supply and sewerage treatment to ensure that members deployed on AACAP remain healthy and capable.

The Environmental Health Team also conduct audits of the community's infrastructure. Recording and monitoring aspects of the community such as sewerage treatment, rubbish disposal, dust and airborne pollution control and water supply. They provide feedback to the community leaders and governing bodies and propose methods of improvement or rectification that may be considered. Where practical, they may request assistance from the Construction elements to repair, improve or implement preventative measures.


LEFT: Environmental Health Technician, CPL Shawcross of Headquarters 2nd Division, Royal Army Medical Corps, inspects a sample.