press releases
212th U.S. MASH Returns To Germany
02/21/2006Islamabad – Personnel of the 212th U.S. Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) led by Army Col. Angel R. Lugo boarded a plane today and returned to Miesau, Germany, their relief work for the people of Pakistan completed.
The MASH treated well over 20,000 patients and provided about 20,000 vaccinations to approximately 8,000 patients since arriving in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan, shortly after the earthquake of October 8, 2005. The MASH, the last unit of its kind in the U.S. Army, was transferred to Pakistani medical personnel and continues to serve the people of the Muzaffarabad region.
"In my 29 years of service, supporting this mission has been my proudest professional experience," said Rear Adm. Michael P. Lefever, commander of the Disaster Assistance Center, Pakistan (DAC PAK). "For the rest of your lives, you can be proud that the help we provided our Pakistani friends saved lives and made a difference," he told MASH personnel recently.
The soldiers of the 212th MASH enjoyed a traditional tea with some of their Pakistani counterparts before departing for their home base. LeFever and Maj. Gen. Abdul Qadir Usmani, head of the Pakistani army’s medical corps, gave some final remarks lauding the world-class medical care the MASH provided.
"It was a privilege to be associated with friends from so far away," said Usmani. "You can be proud of your superb performance. It was a wonderful partnership of cooperation and friendship."
The portable 84-bed MASH facility consists of a primary healthcare and emergency medical treatment section, a surgical suite with two operating tables and sterilization equipment, two Intensive Care Units (ICUs), one intermediate care ward and one minimal care ward, a pharmacy, laboratory, radiology units, medical maintenance work area with a supply of repair parts, a power generation system for the entire hospital and storage containers for packing and moving the hospital. The entire facility is worth $4.6 million.