Humanitarian exercise provides real health care to Peru Published Aug. 23, 2007 By Capt. Mark Terwilliger 4th Medical Operations Squadron SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- The 4th Medical Group is deploying to Peru on a medical humanitarian mission Aug. 31 through Sept. 14. The mission is a Medical Readiness Training Exercise in which the group will provide real-world care to Peruvians. Not only will this mission provide a valuable readiness training opportunity and provide much needed healthcare to those in need, but it will also help to maintain a U.S. presence in the region, helping to support regional stability, develop positive relationships and enhance the U.S. image. The two-week mission will focus on providing care to the impoverished population in some of the poorest areas of Lima, Peru's largest city of more than 8 million residents. Team personnel will deliver care for a total of 10 days within three different areas of the city. General medical, pediatric, dermatology, dental and optometry care will be provided with a focus on acute and preventive care. It is estimated that this group will care for more than 700 patients per day. Though the mission was scheduled prior to the Aug. 16 earthquake that ravaged Peru, the actions of deploying medical group personnel will indirectly provide medical relief to the area. Besides the many crates of medical supplies and equipment, Airmen also packed approximately 5,000 toys and various other supplies to hand out to the children of Lima. Although giving out toys is not part of their specific mission, members of this team thought that doing so would help brighten the children's spirits in the wake of Peru's worst earthquake in more than 30 years. This endeavor could not have been possible without the overwhelming response of many individual donations and by the group's Booster Club.