AFSOUTH launches Amistad 2026 in Dominican Republic

LA VEGA, Dominican Republic — U.S. Air Force medical professionals and the Dominican Republic Ministry of Public Health (MOH) launched Amistad 2026 during an opening ceremony at Hospital Regional Dr. Luis Manuel Morillo King on Aug. 4, kicking off a two-week health security cooperation engagement in the Dominican Republic.

The engagement is the second and final iteration of Amistad 2026, following a mission in Paraguay earlier this year. Led by 12th Air Force, Air Forces Southern (AFSOUTH), in coordination with the MOH, the engagement brings military and local health care professionals together to exchange clinical expertise, improve interoperability and strengthen the relationships that support coordinated responses across the Western Hemisphere.

“These two weeks we will spend here will allow us not only to provide assistance to thousands of people and families, but also to promote training and strengthen the ties between our two countries,” said Dr. Víctor Atallah, Dominican Republic minister of public health. “Amistad reflects the spirit of working together for the health and well-being of our communities.”

Approximately 40 U.S. medical professionals will work alongside Dominican health care providers at Hospital Regional Universitario Dr. Luis Manuel Morillo King and Hospital Municipal Dra. Armida García. Teams will collaborate in family medicine, pediatrics, dentistry and optometry, while Air Force biomedical equipment technicians partner with Dominican biomedical professionals to inspect, maintain and repair critical medical equipment supporting both hospitals.

Unlike traditional medical missions, Amistad embeds U.S. military medics within host nation health care systems rather than operating independently. Providers treat patients together while exchanging knowledge, sharing best practices and gaining valuable experience in unfamiliar clinical environments. The result is stronger interoperability, greater readiness and professional relationships built before they are needed during a crisis.

“Every patient, every conversation and every experience over the next two weeks will strengthen both our professional capabilities and the partnership between our countries,” said Lt. Col. Don Davison, Amistad 2026 mission commander.

Dominican health officials said the engagement reflects a shared commitment to strengthening health care systems through professional collaboration while expanding access to care for communities identified by the Ministry of Public Health.

“This operation is an expression of solidarity and cooperation that benefits the Dominican people,” Atallah said. “We welcome our partners and appreciate their commitment to working alongside Dominican health care professionals.”

For Davison, success is measured not only by the number of patients seen, but also by the lasting professional relationships developed between both medical teams. “We all have something to teach, and we all have something to learn,” Davison said. “By working together today, we’ll be better prepared to respond together to tomorrow’s challenges.”

Amistad reflects U.S. Southern Command’s commitment to regional security through trusted partnerships and health security cooperation. By integrating within host nation health care systems and working side by side with partner nation professionals, the engagement improves interoperability, reinforces mutual trust and enhances the collective readiness needed to respond to future emergencies.

Amistad, Spanish for “friendship,” is a AFSOUTH-led health security cooperation engagement conducted in coordination with partner nation ministries of health, U.S. embassies and regional health care institutions. The Dominican Republic mission builds on the momentum established during Amistad’s first phase in Paraguay. Together, the two engagements enabled U.S. and partner nation medical professionals to strengthen operational readiness, exchange clinical expertise and reinforce the partnerships that support regional health security throughout the Americas.

“I’m confident that when these two weeks come to an end, we’ll leave with stronger partnerships, valuable lessons learned and a deeper understanding of one another’s health care systems,” Davison said. “Those relationships are what prepare us to meet tomorrow’s challenges together.”