Operation Pacific Haven: humanitarian medical support for Kurdish evacuees
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Updated: Oct 29, 2026

Percutaneous Hepatic Perfusion (PHP) with Melphalan as a Treatment for Unresectable Metastases Confined to the Liver
Published on: July 31, 2016
Abstract:
This article reviews the medical aspects of the humanitarian assistance mission Joint Task Force Operation Pacific Haven from September 1996 to April 1997. It reviews the effectiveness of the deployable medical units used to support the medical screening, treatment, and processing of more than 6,600 Kurdish evacuees applying for political asylum in the United States. The distinct cultural mores and language barriers of the Kurdish population made the provision of even basic medical care a challenge. Designed for combat service support, these deployable medical units were successful in the performance of the comprehensive public health and humanitarian assistance medical support mission because of the support of two on-island military treatment facilities. In short, for military medicine to successfully conduct humanitarian assistance and/or disaster relief missions, deployable medical units need to be designed, equipped, staffed, and trained to perform these operations.
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