A Medical Readiness Exercise (MEDREX) ran from April 20 to May 8, in Accra, bringing together approximately 25 U.S. service members and Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) medical professionals at the 37th Military Hospital, as part of African Lion 26.

Every year since 2014, with the exception of a one-year gap due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. and Ghana Armed Forces have been conducting a MEDREX as part of African Lion.

The U.S. participants included personnel from Landstuhl Regional Medical Centre, Dental Health Activity–Rheinland Pfalz, and the North Dakota National Guard.

Medical professionals from both nations have been working collaboratively to provide patient care and share expertise, strengthening medical readiness across a range of specialities.

Executed by the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), the exercise prepares U.S. military health professionals for the challenge of providing care outside traditional clinical settings, while strengthening interoperability with African allies.

U.S. personnel participating in the exercise bring experience from multiple medical disciplines, including obstetrics and gynaecology, trauma and general surgery, critical and intensive care, anaesthesia, emergency care, and dental services.

“MEDREX gives our medical professionals the opportunity to train in operational environments and exchange knowledge with our Ghanaian counterparts,” said Col. Scot Tebo, Command Surgeon for U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa.

“Working together improves how we deliver care in resource-limited conditions and prepares our teams to support forces during large-scale operations.”

“The United States values our enduring partnership with Ghana and its armed forces,” Chargé d’Affaires Rolf Olson said.

“This medical readiness exercise exemplifies our shared commitment to strengthening interoperability and ensuring our armed forces are prepared to address regional security challenges together.

"The collaboration between U.S. and Ghanaian medical professionals not only enhances readiness, but also deepens the bonds between our two nations.”

African Lion is U.S. Africa Command’s largest annual joint exercise, bringing together partner nations across the continent to build readiness, strengthen partnerships, and improve the ability to respond to shared security challenges.

This year, 50 GAF soldiers are in Morocco participating in African Lion 26.

Early this year, medical professionals representing Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) joined counterparts from Italy, Liberia and the United States to test their medical proficiency at the SETAF-AF Best Medic Competition at Caserma Del Din, Vicenza, Italy.

The event challenged 24 medical personnel to demonstrate their physical endurance and technical proficiency under simulated combat conditions.