[FADCA] Medical volunteers make use of Winlink 2000 in Honduras

[Aa4mi at aol.com]

Medical volunteers make use of Winlink 2000 in Honduras (Mar 8, 2006)  -- 
 
Amateur Radio volunteers with the International Health Service (IHS) in  
Honduras say Winlink 2000 has become key to effective communication. "Without  
Winlink, our communications effectiveness would be lessened considerably, and  
some of the service our teams provide would not occur," said Lor Kutchins,  
W3QA/HR8, while serving in Uhi. 
 
IHS each year provides medical examinations, surgery and dental services to  
more than 3000 Hondurans, most having access only to IHS health care during 
the  group's annual visits. 
 
"Winlink radio e-mail is serving the International Health Service very well  
in this operation," Kutchins added. He said IHS deployed medical/dental,  
surgical, and eye care teams in various communities, most equipped with VHF-FM  or 
HF portable gear. 
 
IHS teams travel each February to remote villages with little or no  
communication or transportation infrastructure. "We make our own infrastructure  with 
what we bring," Kutchins reports. "So, as well as being a truly practical  
effort to bring health care to populations that otherwise do not get it, this is  
a terrific exercise in disaster relief or EmComm in general." 
 
Before radio e-mail, all traffic was handled in lengthy voice nets three  
times each day, he said. "Now our nets are 10-minute affairs in which we  
highlight the urgent and important traffic for followup, besides exchanging  
pleasantries." Winlink 2000 radio e-mail also allows an audit trail and a  permanent 
record, which comes in handy for planning purposes. For more  information or if 
interested in volunteering, visit the IHS Web site or e-mail. 
 
73,
Carl, AA4MI