News story: UK medic helps to save life during Pacific Partnership 2018

Pacific Partnership is an annual exercise involving 22 partner nations around the globe in 18 host countries. It aims to assist local communities in planning for humanitarian crisis’ whilst also teaching medical and engineering skills. 4 UK medics are involved, representing each of the 3 services.

On the 23 March 2018, whilst deployed in Yap in The Federated States of Micronesia, Corporal Darren Phillips worked alongside Japanese Military Medics to save the life of a local man who had severely injured himself. The military medics were attending Yap Memorial Hospital conducting a community health engagement when the patient arrived, having had an accident while cleaning around his home. The knife the patient used to clear out overgrown branches broke and struck his wrist causing near fatal blood loss.

L-R Corporal Phillips, POMA Nicholl, Flt Lt Lowry and Lt Cdr Middleton. Crown Copyright.

Corporal Phillips provided immediate trauma care and in response said:

We are constantly trained to respond to trauma situations, we saw a patient needing immediate attention, and we acted quickly and efficiently. This is what we do. It is a great experience to be part of a multinational team working together to help people from all over Yap.

On the day in question we provided medical care to over 100 patients at the hospital, and we are looking forward to continuing with the rest of the exercise.

The defence medical services twitter account is following the exercise closely.

For more stories and photos please follow @defence_medical.