Speeches

Remarks by Ambassador Cesar Cabrera at the U.S. Defense Institute for Medical Operations (DIMO) Training Graduation Ceremony

Saturday, May 19, 2007
Mauritius Institute of Health, Pamplemousses


Minister Abu Twaleb Kasenally, Acting Minister of Health

Representatives from the Ministry of Health

Defense Institute for Medical Operations Training Team

Graduates of the DIMO training class

Honored Guests

I’m pleased to be here today for the closing of the Leadership Program in Regional Disaster Response and Trauma System Management conducted by DIMO, the Defense Institute for Medical Operations.  I’d like to congratulate today’s graduates of the program for their hard work and participation in this important training.  I’d like to thank the ten DIMO trainers for coming from the United States to share their expertise and help Mauritius prepare for disasters and trauma situations. 

I’d also like to recognize the Ministry of Health and the Prime Minister’s Office for their support of the program.  Without your assistance, we could not have held the training course.   The Ministry of Health generously allowed us to use this excellent facility for the weeklong training, and has provided logistical assistance throughout the planning process for this program. 

The ten trainers of this leadership course led by Dr. Elizabeth Bridges are part of DIMO, an institution associated with the U.S. Department of Defense.  This course was organized by the U.S. Embassy as part of its IMET, International Military Education Training Program.  The IMET Program, funded by the United States Government and administered by the Department of State, was established in Mauritius in 1997.  This year, the Embassy has awarded IMET grants totaling over four million rupees to the Government of Mauritius for military and civilian training. 

During this week’s course, the participants worked on disaster planning and response, and trauma response and prevention.  For example, they completed exercises on emergency situations including communicable disease epidemics and disasters.  Although Mauritius is fortunate to have experienced very few large scale disasters, it is important to be prepared just in case.  This training can useful whether it’s for responding to a destructive cyclone hit or a one-car motor vehicle accident.
More importantly, this training served to bring together an interagency group of participants who will now be able work together better in case of a disaster.
 
Although I hope that you will not need to put your new skills and knowledge to test, and I feel assured that this training has helped Mauritius become better prepared for any disaster or trauma incident. 

Congratulations and best of luck to all of you.