Article: Chal D., Trombini G., Koehle O., Santinelli Y. and Quain C.
Veterinary Support’s Diversity in Operation: Example of Sangaris
Within Sangaris Operation, in Central African Republic, the French military health Service has deployed a veterinary unit that also supports the French Elements in Gabon and the Logistics Support Mission in Cameroun.
After a short description of the context of this operation and its veterinary unit, the diversity of the veterinary missions is illustrated with the example of Sangaris V mandate which took place from October 2015 to February 2016.
Besides their quantitative aspect, these missions encompass medical support of military dogs and mascots, water and food sanitary security and biological control of the environment.
The main tasks especially concern the control of water production and distribution to SANGARIS Operation benefit and the control of local food, bottled water and other drinks local suppliers.
Implementation of s anitary control plans, to prevent health hazards introduction in Europe, is also a very important mission because it needs means and military staff awareness, including that of the commandment.
Punctually had to be realized medical consultations for local animals, a veterinary investigation following a Norovirus foodborne disease outbreak and, in emergency, a damage control surgery on a military dog with gastric dilatation-volvulus before its strategic evacuation.
The capacity to deal with so many missions for a single veterinary officer in operation is especially allowed by the existence, within French Military Health Service, of veterinary referents “skills” and “theatres”. The keeping of this veterinary versatility and level of expertise is necessary to adapt us to the evolution of health hazards, current and to come, especially those due to global warming, goods en people’s movements or malicious intents
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Date: 01/10/2018
