NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS – The U.S. Air Force Lesser Antilles Medical Assistance Team (LAMAT) consisting of active duty and reserve airmen is presently in Nevis engaging with public health professionals to facilitate training and knowledge transfer.
The team, led by Colonel Zoe Hawkes, arrived in Nevis on Monday, March 18 as part of LAMAT’s inaugural visit to St. Kitts and Nevis.
At a welcome ceremony held at the Malcolm Guishard Recreational Park on March 18, 2024, Col. Hawkes explained that the members of her team would engage in capacity-building training and exchanging of best practices with public healthcare providers. She also revealed that during the visit LAMAT was providing more than US$100,000 in supplies to the Ministry of Health in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA).
“Our Medical Assistance Team, comprised of forty-three members, is a diverse mix of physicians, nurses, dentists, medical and dental technicians, an audiologist, administrative and logistics support personnel, an equipment repair technician, and public affairs staff.
“As part of our mission to work with our counterparts in St. Kitts and Nevis to enable better outcomes for patients we have brought $105,000 in supplies and materials which we hope will complement your resources and serve the medical needs of your patients.”
Minister of Health and Social Empowerment the Honourable Jahnel Nisbett expressed gratitude to the team for affording the public professionals this opportunity to learn from highly qualified experts to better care for patients on Nevis.
“To the LAMAT team I want to say on behalf of the Nevis Island Administration and the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis at large, that your work here is welcomed, it is invaluable and we look forward to our staff and people engaging with you over the next two weeks so that you can provide that care and additional training that I am certain that we will benefit from, not just for the two weeks but over the long term as well,” she said.
Also present at the ceremony was Deputy Governor-General Her Honour Mrs Hyleeta Liburd; Deputy Premier the Honourable Eric Evelyn; Minister of Education the Honourable Troy Liburd; Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Mrs Shelissa Martin-Clarke; Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Health Ms Latoya Jeffers; LAMAT Focal Point on Nevis Dr Judy Nisbett; and personnel from the Ministry of Health and the Health Promotion Unit.
While on Nevis the LAMAT contingent worked alongside personnel at the Charlestown Dental Unit and the Emergency Care Unit at the Alexandra Hospital. They will further engage with local healthcare personnel at the Brownhill Health Centre to carry out auditory (hearing) checks, and also assist at the Flamboyant Nursing Home and the St. George and St. John Nursing Home.
As part of the LAMAT 2024 mission, the team will be in St. Kitts and Nevis for two weeks, with approximately half of its members stationed on Nevis for eight days. Throughout the 2024 mission, the LAMAT team visited Suriname, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.