F-FDTL Medics Receive International Medical Training through Pacific Partnership

F-FDTL Medics Receive International Medical Training through Pacific Partnership

24 June 2014

F-FDTL (Falintil-Forsa Defeza Timor-Leste) medics received training from Australian, New Zealand and American military medical experts over two days from 23-24 June. The training forms part of the Pacific Partnership 2014 (PP14) which has been running in Timor-Leste this month. 

Held at the Specialist Training Wing (STW) at F-FDTL’s Metinaro base, international doctors, nurses, medics and environmental health officers delivered training in first aid, and controlling environments (e.g. mosquito control). Basic life support, some advanced life support, mass-casualty and triage training was also delivered.

Eight doctors and 30 F-FDTL medics attended the two day course. Sergeant Troy Roberts, a medical expert with Australia’s Defence Cooperation Program (DCP), said the training was extremely important to enable the F-FDTL medics to provide basic health services to people in need. “I’m delighted to provide direct training to F-FDTL medical providers on how to provide better care. This will increase and extend their capacity for years to come,” he said.

The PP14 team consists of medical experts and engineers from Australia, New Zealand and America militaries who work with Timorese partners on key medical and engineering projects which focus on humanitarian and civic action programs. The partnership has been operating annually in Timor-Leste since 2006 to improve critical infrastructure and support disaster response preparedness.

This year, the PP14 team has worked closely with the Timor-Leste’s Ministry of Health to provide training to Timorese doctors and local medical providers on safe motherhood and essential newborn care, basic life support, ambulance services, emergency response and dental health screenings.

The team also worked together with F-FDTL members on construction projects including a team-built kitchen and open-air dining area at Comoro Intermediate School, a new latrine facility at the Farol Primary School, and a new emergency room at the Comoro Community Health Center.
 

F-FDTL (Falintil-Forsa Defeza Timor-Leste) medics received training from Australian, New Zealand and American military medical experts over two days from 23-24 June. Photo: Australian Embassy Dili	Laying the foundation for the first emergency room of the Comoro Health Facility in Dili, Australian Army Sapper Trent Direen (center) cuts wood with Timor-Leste Army engineer soldier Agusto Costa-Dearauzu (right) and United States Navy Mobile Construction Battalion 1 Petty Officer Richard Padgett, at the Comoro Health Centre, Dili, East Timor, during Pacific Partnership 2014 Exercise. Photo by Australia Department of Defence Corporal Bill Solomou.
United States Navy, Australian Army, and F-FDTL members work on brickwork while constructing a kitchen at Comoro Intermediate School in Dili, East Timor, during Pacific Partnership 2014 Exercise. Photo by Australia Department of Defence Corporal Jake Sims.	Vice Prime Minister and Coordinator of Social Affairs in Timor-Leste Fernando La Sama de Araújo and U.S. Navy Capt. Rodney Moore, commodore of the 30th Naval Construction Regiment, visit a Pacific Partnership dental project at the Comoro Health Clinic in support of Pacific Partnership 2014. Photo by U.S. Navy Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Stephen Oleksiak.