Continuing Promise Shares “Vision” with El Salvador
May 23, 2008

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US optometrists embarked aboard USS Boxer are providing medical assistance to Salvadorans in Sonsonate.  “Continuing Promise” is a deployment to the region that builds on and encourages the establishment of new partnerships between and among nations, NGOs, and international organizations to demonstrate the lasting bonds and shared interests among neighbors.

“I am glad partner nations have allowed us to come and work with them cooperatively to be able to help the people,” said Lt. Cmdr. (Dr.) Paul DeWitt, an optometrist with United States Public Health Services.

The optometrists saw more than 100 patients at the Miravalle Educational Center, a school converted to a make-shift clinic for the healthcare providers’ visit to El Salvador.  Patients received medicine, eye exams for reading and even recieved glasses. Some were taken on board the Boxer for cataract surgery.

“One of the basic needs of people is vision,” said optometrist Lt. (Dr.) Johnny Cosby.  “So we just want to help as many people as possible to see well.”

Medical students from Evangelica University of El Salvador in their third year of training came to the site to help out and to get hands-on experience to go along with their course of study.
“It’s a great opportunity to learn about my future career and to practice my English too,” said Melina Mercado, a medical student from the university. “Americans are great people and they are doing a great job here.  I just want to say thank you.”

The training offered to the students not only enhanced in their learning experiences but laid the foundation for building stronger bonds with colleagues for years to come.

The USS Boxer arrived in El Salvador on May 19, exemplifying the strong ties of friendship and cooperation binding the United States and this Central American country.  The  ship’s medical  contingent will spend 12 days working alongside local medical providers at El Salvador’s Miravalle school (May 19-24) and El Sunza school (May 25-30) providing primary medical care to nearly 6,000 Salvadoran citizens.  The team will also spend ten days at El Salvador’s Sonsonate Regional Hospital performing hospital equipment repairs and training hospital staff, while also sharing ideas and experiences on best practices for long-term public health solutions.