Winning hearts and minds, Honduran style

The military had a medical brigade at the Candelaria Health Center today. 

I did not stop and enter to see what they were doing. I didn’t want to be seen there, since it could be interpreted as support. As the sign read, general medicine, dentistry, ophthalmology, pediatrics, psychology, cytology, as well as legal advice and hair styling.

Call me cynical, if you want. But, in a society that is increasingly militarized, in a country where there have been scores of killings and excessive use of force by government security forces, as noted in a recent Amnesty International Report, what are they doing with a medical brigade?

During the Vietnam war and during the US-backed Central American wars in Central America, there was a policy of “winning hearts and minds.” The often-repressive governments would send troops to do public projects. This seems very much like a new form of the same.

It seems like a form of psychological warfare to get the people to “feel good” about the military despite the repression.

It almost feels like an extension of the Roman empire’s tactic of pacifying the masses with “bread and circuses.” People came and, according to a poster, were seen by health workers (in military uniform, I presume) for various ailments. They were given medicine and a bag of clothes. There was even an inflated tent that looked like a play tent for kids you’d find at a fast food restaurant.

I have serious reservations about most medical brigades, especially this type.

Without a commitment to the integral development of a public health system, why is the military bringing needed health services to communities where medicine is often scarce?

Without seeking to hire and bring in some of the trained and unemployed doctors and other medical personnel, why is the “security” branch of the government providing needed medical services”

Without an apparent commitment to enhance the capabilities of local health workers, what is an outside group doing here?

Without a commitment to the area and a knowledge of the local situation, what does a group that comes in for a day or two really doing? Is there possibility of medical malpractice, as people come seeking medical help whenever a brigade shows up? See my previous blog post about a US military medical brigade three years ago.

Call me cynical, if you want.

The people need and deserve real medical care, not a band aid approach, especially a band aid approach that seems to try to make them grateful to or dependent on an agency or a political party. Health care is a human right which shoulc not be politicized or militarized.

There are medical groups that do brigades in a very different style. They commit themselves to a place as a way of helping develop the medical infrastructure in that region. They return regularly to that area. They assist local medical persons and medical centers to improve their service to the people.

Most importantly, their major concern is the health and well-being of the people and they try to distance themselves from any partisan political efforts. There is one working this way in our area, thanks be to God.