Assistant Secretary Babauta Releases Technical Assistance Grant to Marshall Islands for Four Atolls Health Care Program

November 10, 2009
For more information please contact:
Tanya Harris Joshua (202) 208-6008

Washington, DC -  The Department of the Interior's Insular Assistant Secretary Tony Babauta signed a technical assistance grant in the amount of $985,235 to continue primary health care for members of the Bikini, Enewetak, Rongelap and Utrik communities in the Marshall Islands.  The Four Atoll Health Care Program addresses the medical needs of those Marshall Island residents injured by the nuclear weapons testing program which the U.S. Department of Defense carried out in the Marshall Islands between 1946-1958.

"The Department of the Interior takes very seriously," Assistant Secretary Babauta said, "the U.S. Government's commitment to assist the local governments of the four atolls to provide medical care for their community members, still bearing health burdens caused by the U.S. military's testing of nuclear weapons."

The grant will fund a full-time primary care physician to work in a dispensary in each of the four atoll communities.  In addition, it will fund the education of health care assistants in the fields of assessment and treatment skills and support women's and children's health programs.  In recent years this grant has provided standard and updated medical instruments for the four atolls as well as other medical equipment and supplies.  Through this grant, members of the four atoll communities receive routine and specialty clinic care, including dental, OB/GYN, immunizations, food safety and water treatment, diabetic assessment and cancer screening.

The Marshall Islands Ministry of Health provides local support to this Interior-funded program.

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