Airmen continue distributing medical supplies to Bishkek

by Staff Sgt. Carolyn Viss
376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

4/19/2010 - TRANSIT CENTER AT MANAS, Kyrgyzstan (AFNS) -- Airmen delivered medical supplies and food to two Bishkek hospitals, and visited with patients April 15 who were injured in Kyrgyzstan.

This is a continuation of efforts started when 16,000 lbs, approximately $82,000 worth, of supplies including bandages, sutures, antibiotics and antiseptics were delivered to the Transit Center at Manas from the Army Medical Material Center in Southwest Asia.

A total of four hospitals were helped with these supplies.

"Last week Kyrgyz citizens, the majority of them young people, suffered serious injuries, mostly gunshot wounds," said Col. Jerry Flyer, the deputy director for medical services at the Transit Center at Manas, who is also a surgeon. "During this time, Kyrgyz surgical and medical colleagues worked heroically around the clock to operate and save hundreds. What they accomplished was nothing less than incredible considering the lack of equipment and supplies they had to work with. In donating these supplies, we are helping to replenish what they have used and provide them the means to continue ongoing care of these patients."

Humanitarian assistance, one of the four mission sets of the Transit Center at Manas, has always been a priority for Airmen, and when hospitals downtown expressed a need, servicemembers here helped. Within hours, coordination was in the works, and within just a couple of days Airmen were delivering the necessary supplies.

"We've been cooperating with the medical group at the Transit Center at Manas very closely," said Professor Sabyrbek Djumadekov, the chief director of the Center for Traumatology. "This is not their first time assisting us. They've been helping us regularly."

"We are also hoping to assist those heroic physicians and surgeons who are caring for these injured patriots," Colonel Flyer said. "There is nothing more frustrating than knowing what you need to do to help someone and not have the means to do so. We hope to mitigate that as best we can."

From a medical standpoint, Colonel Flyer said, "We are all providers of care, and the most important thing to us is to take great care of our patients and restore them to health."

This is universal, no matter where in the world one practices medicine, he said.

"From a country and Transit Center standpoint, we live here side-by-side with our Kyrgyz neighbors, together fighting terrorism," he said. "While we are engaged in this important work, we want to also be good neighbors. The Kyrgyz nation just went through a difficult time and we want them to know that they have our condolences for their losses and that we will do what we can to support them through this difficult time. That's what friends and neighbors do.

"On the one hand, it makes me feel good that we are able to harness our resources to assist our Kyrgyz medical colleagues, many of whom I know personally, in this time of need," Colonel Flyer said. "On the other hand, it is a little frustrating because I want to do more and wish there was more I could have done personally while they were operating for 48 to 72 hours straight on all of these injured people."

The medical staff, administrators and patients all appeared genuinely grateful for our help and concern, he said.

"Thanks a lot for providing (humanitarian aid) to the National Hospital," said the Deputy Minister of Health Madamim Karataev. "(Airmen have) been regularly delivering medical supplies and food to the patients of this hospital, which is very helpful for us. And we've been facing a lot of difficulties right now. On behalf of the patients, doctors, and Kyrgyz people, we thank the Transit Center at Manas, the U.S. Embassy which is going to render some more assistance to the hospital, and the people of the United States of America for helping us to overcome these hard days for Kyrgyzstan."