Page 115 - Journal of Special Operations Medicine - Fall 2014

An Ongoing Series

This Is Africa

An Introduction to Medical Operations on the African Continent

Melissa L. Givens, MD, MPH; James H. Lynch, MD, MS

ABSTRACT
“This Is Africa” JSOM Series: Future Topics
This article regarding Special Operations Forces (SOF) Subject Pertinent Subtopics
medical operations in Africa is an introduction to a fol-
low-on series of articles that will address in more detail Clinical Immunizations, force health
pertinent medical topics which pertain to operations on Considerations protection (FHP) measures,
the African continent. Medical operations in Africa re- treatment guidelines for
quire dynamic and systematic approaches that consider significant infectious threats
the myriad challenges, yet offer flexible solutions ap- and venomous snakes
plied as situations and environments dictate. We believe CASEVAC on the Overview of current
this series of articles will be of high interest to readers Continent resources and limitations
and provide key information that will be germane to MEDCANGRO Capacity building, partner
future SOF operations. (Medical Capacity for nation training, regional
African Nations – CASEVAC operations
Keywords: medical operations, evacuation, tropical infec- Growing Regional
tious disease, tactical medicine, Africa, wilderness medicine Operability)
Austere Diagnostics Point-of-care laboratory
testing, ultrasound: beyond
Introduction the FAST
“TIA” (“This is Africa”) is a phrase learned quickly by Clinical Case Series Lessons learned from SOF
all those who attempt to conduct operations on the Af- medics on the continent
rican continent. Africa challenges our Western notions Host Nation Key personnel identification,
of time and distance while simultaneously harboring Assessments hospitals, clinics, airfields,
Hollywood-esque threats of certain disaster and fatal in Africa roads, restaurants, hotels,
disease. Whether it is Ebola virus, black mambas, or training sites, logistic
“witch doctors,” fiction and drama intersect with re- resources
ality in environments that challenge those presumably
well prepared to counter the myriad and ubiquitous Predeployment Equipment and logistics,
threats found throughout the expanse of this continent. Training for African clinical experiences,
SOF Operations lessons learned from SOF
deployments to Africa
There are 54 countries comprising the African continent,
and they cover an expanse of over 11 million square
miles, inhabited by over 1 billion people. Africa has di- and hippopotami. These diverse force health protection
verse climatology that ranges from the famed Sahara threats, when combined with scarce resources and logis-
Desert to dense tropical jungles. African wildlife is a spec- tical barriers, create unconventional obstacles to health-
trum of potential killers, from miniscule disease-carrying care delivery, especially for medical personnel who may
mosquitoes to the most venomous snakes known to be accustomed to more robust support systems found in
humans to massive carnivorous beasts, such as lions other theaters. A myriad of external factors compound

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