By Kirk Frady, Medical Readiness Command, Europe

DAVID, Panama — U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Bertie Charles, detachment sergeant for U.S. Army Health Clinic Stuttgart, Germany, supported a Global Health Engagement rotation in Panama from July 23 through Aug. 5, 2026. The health engagement helped to reduce a backlog of endoscopic care while building clinical capacity with Panamanian medical professionals.

During the health engagement, Charles and the Army team consisting of a gastroenterologist, anesthesiologist, and two Army combat medics, served at Hospital Regional Rafael Hernández in David, Chiriquí, where they completed 80 advanced gastrointestinal procedures during 54 operational hours. Their work supported the treatment of 69 patients, including 69 colonoscopies and 11 esophagogastroduodenoscopies, commonly known as EGDs.

“The procedures we performed addressed a critical need for endoscopic services at the regional hospital, where patients required diagnostic examinations for gastrointestinal conditions,” said Charles. “By working alongside host-nation providers, we helped increase access to specialized care and supported continued development of local clinical capability.”

The engagement was designed not only to provide direct patient care but also to strengthen professional relationships and promote the exchange of medical knowledge between U.S. military personnel and Panamanian health care providers.

According to U.S. military medical officials, Global Health Engagements are sustained partnerships between U.S. military medical teams and partner nations. They may include clinical capacity building, infectious disease surveillance, humanitarian assistance and interoperability initiatives. In addition, these engagements support force readiness and broaden national security objectives by improving the ability of participating nations to respond to health challenges, disasters and other regional needs.

“One of the key takeaways for me during this health engagement was the inspiration drawn from witnessing Panamanian medical partners “adapt and overcome” resource limitations to provide patient care,” added Charles. “This mission kind of hit home for me as I am originally from Saint Lucia where island inhabitants experience similar medical procedure backlogs or medical equipment shortages. Being able to provide these services and helping reduce the number of patients waiting for a procedure was extremely satisfying and rewarding.”

Hospital Regional Rafael Hernández serves communities in the western Panamanian province of Chiriquí. The facility’s partnership with the U.S. military medical team enabled additional patients to receive diagnostic procedures during the engagement period.

“This health engagement reinforced longstanding U.S.- Panama cooperation,” said Charles. “Medical engagements like this provide opportunities for our service members to gain experience operating in multinational environments while helping partner organizations improve readiness and sustainment of specialized medical services.”

Charles’ participation and contribution reflected the mission’s dual objectives: meeting immediate patient-care requirements and strengthening the capacity of Panamanian clinicians to address future endoscopic-care demands.

“This health engagement had a significant impact on reducing the local patient backlog,” added Charles. “The long wait times for endoscopic procedures, sometimes over a year, were a major issue for those we treated. Through coordinated care, professional exchange and sustained partnership, the engagement supported health outcomes for patients in Chiriquí while advancing interoperability between U.S. and Panamanian medical personnel.”