As part of the parallel humanitarian activities of the combined Moroccan-U.S. exercise “African Lion 2021”, which is being held under the high instructions of HM the King Mohammed VI, Supreme Commander and Chief of General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR), a field medico-surgical hospital has been deployed in the commune of Amlen near Tafraout (Tiznit province).
Mobilizing medical teams made up of doctors and nurses from the FAR and the U.S. Army, this hospital provides medical and surgical services for the local populations in the region. In a statement to MAP, Colonel Salah Azzarraa, detachment commander of FAR personnel at the Amlen field hospital, said that this action, which will continue until June 18, mobilizes specialized technical staff and significant logistical resources, noting that this hospital includes an operating room and a medical analysis laboratory, as well as a digital radiography and ultrasound unit in addition to a medical sterilization unit.
With a capacity of 30 beds, this field hospital with a multidisciplinary medical staff made up of 44 doctors and 51 nurses, provides in strict compliance with anti-coronavirus measures, services in several specialties, including general surgery, gynaecology, paediatrics, ophthalmology and otorhinolaryngology, added Colonel Azzarraa, stressing that free medication is offered to patients as well as corrective glasses.
Operational since June 7, this hospital has so far provided 10,000 services for 3,000 patients. For his part, Nikole Lureza, Staff Sergeant in the US Army affirmed that “we are working with Moroccans in this humanitarian mission. We work particularly with women and children to provide them with educational medicine to ensure a healthy life.” “We are very proud of cooperation with the Moroccan Army” she added.
The 17th combined Moroccan-American exercise “African Lion 2021” will run through June 18, 2021, in the regions of Agadir, Tifnit, Tan-Tan, Mehbes, Tafraout, Ben Guerir and Kenitra, involving thousands of multinational militaries and a very large number of land, air and sea equipment.
In addition to the United States of America and the Kingdom of Morocco, this exercise is marked by the participation of Great Britain, Brazil, Canada, Tunisia, Senegal, the Netherlands, Italy as well as the Atlantic Alliance and military observers from nearly thirty countries representing Africa, Europe and America.
