Public grateful for DOD’s free CNMI Wellness mission

A U.S. military service member serves members of the community at the Medical Care and Treatment Site of the Commonwealth Health Center. (CHRYSTAL MARINO)

After a successful start on Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Defense’s Innovative Readiness Training Operation CNMI Wellness moves on to Day 3 today of providing medical and veterinary services at no cost to the community, and so far many individuals who have availed of these services have walked away with positive feedback and have expressed their appreciation for the collaborative effort.

With the operation schedule now back on track, military service members continue to assist many community members at the Medical Care and Treatment Site of the Commonwealth Health Center, and those with pets going to the former Saipan Cares for Animals clinic in Gualo Rai, and at the Saipan Mayor’s Dog Control Center in Afetna.

Lt. Colonel Kristin Porter, public affairs officer for IRT Wellness Missions, said that, based on their numbers, the first day alone saw a total of 274 patients and 1,068 services were provided, with some patients being able to avail of several different services at the same time. They expect the numbers to peak in the coming days. The dollar amount of services availed by community members on Wednesday alone was worth $100,000, Porter said, and this wasn’t even including the veterinary services.

Several members of the community have expressed gratitude for the opportunity. Paulina Garcia said her experience had been excellent and impressive, with only a short wait time. She said she had registered and availed of the services in the morning, which altogether took less than an hour, and upon completion brought her son, JP, so he could check out the eye services provided.

“It’s just really needed for us, especially since [Presumptive Medicaid] is gone,” she said. “We’re so thankful for the military rendering their services now… especially on my part, I’m a diabetic… we need lots of maintenance, and now and then we need to be checked…”

Altogether, the wait time wasn’t a bother at all, she said, and that service members were quick and great.

Finasisu resident Vannesa Abella said, “We are so happy and glad that the military is here and we have this opportunity…”

Abella, who arrived just a couple of minutes after opening time, said she was serviced in under 20 minutes, and that everything she needed were taken care of. Since the dental services were packed and therefore closed, Abella said she would just return the next day.

Since she doesn’t have insurance coverage, Abella said this program is definitely a blessing.

Michelle Takai and Daisy Babauta, who help assist individuals register for the program, said that, for that morning alone, 57 registered for optometry, 40 for healthcare examination, and 60 for dental services, which was the service that got full the quickest.

Babauta and Takai said the process is simple: Just register at the Micro Beach site where you will get a colored wristband to identify which service you want to avail of. When the shuttle arrives, patients will be transported to the MCATS facility at CHC where they will receive their examination, treatment, etc., before being shuttled back to Micro Beach.

“If they want to do another service, they can just come back to the spot and register for another service, and if it isn’t full, they can get another service,” said Babauta

When asked if they are planning another IRT in the Marianas, Porter said they are having an upcoming one in Guam, but the CNMI Bureau of Military Affairs have already submitted an application for another IRT next year. Porter also wants to acknowledge the time and effort the CBMA has done to make this collaboration a possibility. “There are so many moving pieces in this. The CBMA—they’re the ones trying to organize those pieces. For us, we recognize their hard work, because…we’re involved in it, but…also…what the community needs to know, is the man hours, the time that they have put into this effort to serve the community.”

She also recognized the importance of community partnerships and sponsors who helped make the event a possibility.

She shared that there were a lot obstacles along the way, with an equipment plane a day and half late because of maintenance issues, medical provider issues, especially with their flights and equipment arrival being delayed, and even time constraints.

“And so we had so many obstacles that kind of put constraints on what services we can provide, so in looking at the mission for next year, there has been discussion—I don’t know the details yet—but instead of just doing two weeks, maybe we can split it and…have it for four weeks.”

She also encourages individuals who have availed of services to fill out a feedback survey at bit.ly/3XJAW2E and comment or suggest things, treatments, and services they may avail of in the next IRT tour in the Marianas.