Patients And Medical Professionals in St. Kitts And Nevis to Benefit as The Lesser Antilles Medical Assistance Team (LAMAT) 2024 Mission Visits the Federation
(L-R): Colonel Zoe Hawes, USAF; Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kaye Bass; Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan), H.E. Michael Lin; Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Hazel Laws; Dr. Jenson Morton, Director of Health Institutions
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (SKNIS) – Over the next eight days, patients and medical personnel in St. Kitts and Nevis will benefit from the expertise and assistance of medical professionals who are visiting the Federation as part of the U.S. Air Force Southern Command Lesser Antilles Medical Assistance Team (LAMAT) 2024 mission.
The LAMAT mission seeks to strengthen U.S. partnerships in Latin America and the Caribbean region by providing relief to overwhelmed medical facilities through collaboration with host nation medical practitioners and respective Ministry of Health officials. The assistance offered through this partnership helps to relieve strain on medical systems through the provision of critical training opportunities for local medical professionals and by promoting the health and well-being of communities.
The LAMAT mission runs from March 18 to 27, 2024. Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Hazel Laws, speaking at the opening ceremony for the commencement of the LAMAT Mission on Monday, March 18, 2024, noted that the clinical speciality areas that will be covered during the medical mission include general surgery, ophthalmology, dental care and audiology.
“During the process of patient care delivery, our local doctors and nurses will advance through the transfer of clinical skills. The LAMAT medical team also consists of emergency room (ER) consultant physicians, ER nurses and paramedics. They will provide in-service training to the current cadre of ER doctors, nurses and emergency medical technicians here at JNF and at the Alexandra Hospital in Nevis. Our local doctors and nurses will be trained in the management of common medical emergencies,” Dr. Laws stated, noting that critically ill patients who access care in the emergency rooms in St. Kitts and on Nevis will reap the benefits of the capacity-building exercise.
A contingent of medical doctors from the Republic of China (Taiwan) will be working alongside the medical professionals from the U.S. Air Force to provide specialist health services to patients.
Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kaye Bass, described the LAMAT 2024 mission to St. Kitts and Nevis and Taiwan’s assistance as a perfect example of collaboration and partnership between friendly nations and medical professionals.
“Their willingness to lend this vital expertise reflects the enduring bonds of friendship and solidarity that unite our nations. This initiative is particularly significant, especially as we recently celebrated 40 years of strong diplomatic relations with the United States of America and the Republic of China (Taiwan). These two countries were present when we got out of the starting blocks … of nationhood. These two allies have remained with us until now and today, we can confidently state that they are our strongest and most consistent partners,” PS Bass emphasised.
During the eight days of the mission’s visit, the team of consultant specialists and health professionals will work alongside local doctors and nurses to provide medical care to pre-selected patients in both St. Kitts and Nevis.