Medical officers from U.S. Southern Command’s Joint Task Force Bravo (JTF-Bravo) concluded a six-day outreach program of providing medical care to Belizean citizens in the Toledo District. This operation, launched on January 9, was conducted in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Wellness.
The joint medical teams successfully administered preventive medical care, primary care, dental, and pharmacy services in the Jalacte and San Pedro Columbia villages to 775 area residents. This health engagement was a component of U.S. support to Belize through the Keel-Billed Toucan exercise, a crisis preparedness training exercise conducted by JTF-Bravo.
“This joint medical outreach provided essential care to Belizeans in remote areas with limited medical access. We are appreciative of the chance to enhance U.S.-Belize coordination on humanitarian assistance and health security matters. It is exercises like these that strengthen the bilateral relationship. Should the United States be invited by Belize to assist in any disaster relief or humanitarian assistance operations in a future, real-life scenario, U.S. resources such as JTF-Bravo will be both proficient and ready to respond,” highlighted U.S. Embassy Chargé d’ Affaires, a.i. Leyla Moses-Ones.
“This Global Health Engagement helps to strengthen the ties between the United States and Belize by partnering U.S. military health care and civil affairs professionals with Belizean government officials and residents to provide medical care to communities in need,” emphasized JTF-Bravo Commander Colonel Steven Gventer.
Over the past decades, U.S. military personnel from JTF-Bravo have executed more than 300 medical missions and treated more than 340,000 medical patients and 70,000 dental patients throughout Central America. Approximately 150 U.S. service members are participating in the Keel-Billed Toucan exercise between January 7-21 in Belize.
