Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Navy Laboratory Supports Maritime Strategy Through Health Diplomacy

Navy Laboratory Supports Maritime Strategy Through Health Diplomacy: "A U.S. Navy laboratory in Egypt, initially developed in the 1940s to protect the health of U.S. service personnel by doing local research and disease surveillance, has evolved into a notable public health presence in the region where it operates.

Created as part of the U.S. Typhus Commission to prevent a Typhus epidemic among troops and refugees during World War II, U.S. Navy Medical Research Unit 3 (NAMRU-3) spurred the Egyptian government to invite the U.S. Navy to continue their partnership on disease research and detection along with Egyptian scientists.

NAMRU-3 has since developed into the largest overseas military medical research facility in the world and plays a key U.S. foreign policy role in terms of medical diplomacy."