LIMA, Peru - U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit (NAMRU) SOUTH hosted a tour for Gen. Laura Richardson, commander, U.S. Southern Command, on Sept. 15.

Richardson, who visited NAMRU SOUTH as part of a three-day tour of operations throughout Peru, met with command leadership to discuss ongoing research efforts between the U.S. and partner nations in Central and South America.

NAMRU SOUTH leadership briefed Richardson on work underway by the Entomology, Parasitology, and Veterinary Services departments within the command. Highlighted work included development of risk maps of insect-borne diseases, research into combatting the diarrhea-causing Campylobacter bacteria, and diagnostic support for Peruvian military service members returning from deployment with fever.

“It is truly inspiring to visit NAMRU SOUTH and witness firsthand the collaborative efforts between the United States and Peruvian military counterparts,” Richardson commented. “The team’s remarkable dedication in crafting and executing strategies to safeguard the interests of both the U.S. and Peruvian people is commendable.”



Richardson was joined on the tour by John McNamara, Chargé d’Affaires for the U.S. Embassy in Lima, and Rear Adm. Jorge Enrique Andaluz Echevarría, Surgeon General of the Peruvian Navy. NAMRU SOUTH has a long-standing agreement with the Peruvian Navy dating back to 1983. The command is co-located with the Peruvian Navy’s flagship hospital in Callao, as well as at the Naval Clinic in Iquitos, Peru.

“At NAMRU SOUTH, we are proud to continue our forty-year collaborative relationship with the Peruvian Navy,” said Capt. Abigail Marter, NAMRU SOUTH commanding officer. “We’ve forged valuable research partnerships that directly benefit the Department of Defense, the people of Peru, and our allies throughout Latin America.

“Our strategic presence in Peru empowers us to coordinate research efforts on diseases of particular interest to U.S. deployed forces,” Marter added. “This includes dengue fever and leishmaniasis, which are not prevalent in the United States.”

NAMRU SOUTH conducts research on a wide range of infectious diseases of military and public health significance, and supports Global Health Engagement through surveillance of those diseases, including dengue fever, malaria, diarrheal diseases and sexually transmitted infections.