7.15.2004
Female Medical Team Overcomes Cultural Barriers To Help Afghan Women
FORWARD OPERATING BASE RIPLEY, Afghanistan (July 15, 2004)
Story by Sgt. Matt C. Preston -- Medical personnel supporting the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) are building trust and overcoming cultural barriers between the Coalition Forces and people in the Oruzgan province -- once a major stronghold of the Taliban.
Navy Corpsmen and Army Medics saw over 220 women and children during two Medical Civil Affairs Projects (MedCAPs) that featured a team that consisted completely of females. Though the security team was male, all those who had direct contact with the patients were women.
"Due to the cultural sensitivities, females are not seen by male doctors, only by female practitioners and midwives," said Lt. Cmdr. George Semple, 22nd MEU (SOC) surgeon. "We were noticing in our MedCAPs in Tarin Kowt and elsewhere that there was a noticeable difference in the number of males versus females being seen."
Story by Sgt. Matt C. Preston -- Medical personnel supporting the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) are building trust and overcoming cultural barriers between the Coalition Forces and people in the Oruzgan province -- once a major stronghold of the Taliban.
Navy Corpsmen and Army Medics saw over 220 women and children during two Medical Civil Affairs Projects (MedCAPs) that featured a team that consisted completely of females. Though the security team was male, all those who had direct contact with the patients were women.
"Due to the cultural sensitivities, females are not seen by male doctors, only by female practitioners and midwives," said Lt. Cmdr. George Semple, 22nd MEU (SOC) surgeon. "We were noticing in our MedCAPs in Tarin Kowt and elsewhere that there was a noticeable difference in the number of males versus females being seen."
# posted by Frank_D @ 12:06 
