A cost analysis of training expenses versus the value of medical care provided during West Africa Training Cruise 2004: Senegal

A medical civic assistance program (MEDCAP) visit was conducted by naval reservists in eight villages in Senegal, West Africa. More than 6,000 patients were treated by MEDCAP team members. Medical and dental care, eyeglasses, vitamins, medications, educational material, and mass casualty training we...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Military medicine 2006-12, Vol.171 (12), p.1225-1228
Main Authors: Johnson, Norman L, Livingston, Martin J, Novak, Thomas S
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Armed forces
Cooperative Behavior
Cost analysis
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Dental care
Disasters
Emergency medical care
Emergency preparedness
Evacuations & rescues
Health care expenditures
Humanitarianism
Humans
Mass casualty incidents
Medical dressings
Medical Missions - economics
Medical personnel
Medical screening
Medical supplies
Military Medicine - economics
Military Medicine - education
Military personnel
Naval Medicine - economics
Naval Medicine - education
Preventive medicine
Program Development - economics
Relief Work
Senegal
Ships
Teams
Training
Travel
United States
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Summary:A medical civic assistance program (MEDCAP) visit was conducted by naval reservists in eight villages in Senegal, West Africa. More than 6,000 patients were treated by MEDCAP team members. Medical and dental care, eyeglasses, vitamins, medications, educational material, and mass casualty training were provided. Major challenges confronting the mission were to provide care in makeshift clinics in remote villages in an arduous sub-Saharan climate, where more than one-half of the population lacks adequate public health funding to address basic medical and dental needs. To estimate the economic costs and benefits of the mission, as a guide to future planning, we calculated the total costs of the mission and its economic benefits. Total costs were found to be $502,500. We estimated that the monetary value of the medical services provided was $730,090. Additional nonquantifiable value was created through training and development of military and professional partnerships. In a post-September 11 world, the MEDCAP is an important and cost-effective vehicle to advance U.S. foreign policy in a nonthreatening manner. Countless lasting friendships can be won with bandages and medicines.
ISSN:0026-4075
1930-613X
DOI:10.7205/MILMED.171.12.1225