European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 29, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Preparing Wool left for the weavers of the Village of old staff sgt. Carol Picou Belowa licensed practical nurse at Lan Stuhl army regional medical Center applies simulated injuries to a Soldier Rotthe Botswana defense Force Tor the country s first mass casualty exercise. Spec. Mike Lopez an army dental specialist checks a patient s blood pressure. Gastrointestinal infections skin diseases and sexually transmitted diseases said or Edward t mag Anu director of health services for the country s ministry of health a Lack of standing water in the Semi desert country has protected it irom killers such As malaria cholera and typhoid and a progressive immunization program has eliminated polio and diphtheria and has reduced the incidence of measles a major killer of children in other african countries however tuberculosis is still the biggest single killer of adults aids is loss a problem than in some african countries but it is still a worry for Botswana health care professionals who have already implemented an education Campaign. Mag Anu said Phin said the health care system in Botswana is one of the Best in Southern Africa the system is based on primary health care with an Echelon of health facilities ranging from Mobile health stops to clinics to i hospitals if a villager does not have the strength to take himself to the clinic Phiri said he will Send a truck or a Donkey cart to Letch Iho patient Botswana s major health care problem is a Lack of professionals mag Anu said of the 200 doctors registered in Botswana approximately 30 Are natives of the country nurses evaluate diagnose treat and prescribe for problems such As heart disease respiratory disease muscular aches and pains and sexually transmitted diseases in Many of the health facilities if you think the problem is beyond your scope you Send them to a  said Bikini Leburn a nurse in the Village of Ramot Swa or m a Nakhema. A native of Botswana said it War. His childhood dream to become a doctor. While it is a rewarding profession he said we re overworked because we Don t Havo enough staff. So it becomes  Young people rom Botswana who want to become doctors must study Medicine in Britain Uganda Kenya or other countries because Botswana does not have a medical school j d Botswana s first disaster Drill nor or. A Avo Souna rescued   help shrill Afler 11 a m an can try ii at the Dot Vivana Degeiso Force carry Sendan ajr.b-. Anc3 and Nursean exp on at Iho Camp s armory Hall sent Oranje  and smoke  into the air filly soldiers wore sprawled on the ground moaning and screaming uninjured Botswana soldiers were the first to assist the injured medical personnel from Iho local government Hospital started arriving to help evaluate whether a Chesl wound was More life threatening than a broken leg. Or if the Soldier with the amputated leg needed care More desperately than the Man with the Eye pulled from its socket. What Sid Una did nol know was that the explosion and the armory Weie imaginary "1 did t know it was an exercise at first she said at the Hospital located at a Copper mine in the town of Celebi Pike in Botswana. We were prepared Lor the real thing " the Botswana defense Force conducted a mass casually disaster Drill with the assistance of the u s medical team from West Germany during its visit to the country last month the dior cts the first of its kind in Botswana was designed to evaluate How soldiers police and local hospitals would respond to a disaster said Brig Gen m r Poneto chief of staff of Tho Botswana defense Force triage Iho sorting of casualties according to the seventy of their injuries is the single most important Factor in saving lives in a mass casually situation said or col Jules Melotz. Deputy commander of the american team when the american and Botswana officials gathered la  the exercise. Some of the simulated injuries evaluated during the of cruise had not been pro Perl triage before being transferred to the local hospitals. Seletz recommended sending a doctor if Poss Bla to initially triage at the Ste hospitals he said should to told How Many patients to expect and what their injuries Are. That Way Hospital officials can organize supplies and medical stall most efficiently j d the stars and stripes Page 15