The Tannese people share their culture and traditions with the 23 multinational medical personnel.

Many Tannese people live a traditional lifestyle on the rugged volcanic island of Tanna, practicing the ancient customs of their ancestors, including medicine. “It was a wonderful experience working with the people of Tanna,” observed Maj. Sawyer. “They were so warm and welcoming to us all. They wanted to share their culture and were so accepting of us.” On Tanna, three medical teams and one dental team treated about 2,500 patients. The majority had skin conditions, muscular and skeletal disorders, or dental problems.

“The Tannese do not have the type of medical care that we are used to. They use traditional medicine and healers, known as bone setters,” said Maj. Sawyers. “By going to areas like Vanuatu, we are able to see and treat many medical conditions we wouldn’t normally see – diseases and trauma that have been eradicated in our country.”

In addition to serving the people of Vanuatu, TENDON VALIANT II improved the readiness, skills, and interoperability of participating medical personnel. Maj. Sawyers noted, “Participants increased their clinical skills, and we have greatly enhanced our interoperability.”