U.S. Southern Command’s (SOUTHCOM) donation of two field hospitals, which includes ventilators, is worth $950,000 and is part of SOUTHCOM’s enduring promise to nations responding to the global pandemic in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean, and is funded by the command’s Humanitarian Assistance Program (HAP).
Each field hospital will also receive four ventilators each, for a total of eight, valued at $200,000.
Each field hospital can house up to 40 patient beds.
The two field hospitals will increase the Dominican government’s ability to rapidly deploy medical staff and equipment, to care for those in need of assistance during disaster relief operations or a health crisis.
These mobile hospitals will also provide the Dominican government with increased capacity to remotely test, screen, and contain symptomatic patients.
A team of civilian trainers will instruct staffs assuming the operation of the transportable hospitals on their assembly, set up, use, disassembly, transportation, and storage.
The field hospitals are among the donations funded in the second phase of SOUTHCOM’s assistance to the region, which is focused on supporting the region’s long-term preparedness and prevention efforts.
SOUTHCOM’s HAP helps partner nations build their disaster readiness, response, and mitigation capabilities. The program funds infrastructure, equipment, and training to help nations prepare before disasters and crises strike, but also supports countries that request assistance from the U.S. government when they experience health and weather-related emergencies.
In total, SOUTHCOM will donate 24 field hospitals to 11 countries in the region in the coming weeks.