Medical Diplomacy Buzz... From SOUTHCOM

Speaking of hospital ships and medical diplomacy, Admiral Jim Stavridis brings up the topic in his first post on the USSOUTHCOM Commander's Blog. Apparently Brazil has hospital ships too, but their ships operate on the Amazon.

The Brazilian Navy boasts an innovative and well-developed program of small hospital ships, which ply the river. With shallow drafts, they can move up the hundreds of tributary rivers and provide medical care to the people in the interior of the vast Amazon region. We in the US could learn a great deal about such operations, and one of the reasons for my visit was to do so.

We hope to not only learn from our Brazilian friends, but also ultimately exchange doctors and other medical personnel between their hospital ships and our own, which operate primarily through the Caribbean and Central America. At this moment, Brazilian doctors are embarked on USS KEARSARGE, an amphibious ship on a humanitarian assistance/medical training mission currently in the region. In November, some of our doctors will reciprocate and go aboard their hospital ships. Our host and the Naval Commander on the river, Vice Admiral Pedro Fava, was gracious and helpful throughout the visit.

In war torn areas, the first thing that breaks down is the transportation system due to checkpoints and infrastructure damage. Often in those places, waterways are the best means of transportation. The US Navy has so much work to do already to improve the riverine capability that this could be the cart before the horse, but a comprehensive approach to riverine warfare would include medical care capabilities.

And there is no question this would expand the soft power tool kit.