Health care for volunteers at Peace Corps posts

22 U.S.C. § 2504a

• Title: 22 — Foreign Relations and Intercourse
• Chapter: 34 — THE PEACE CORPS

Text

(a) In general
The President shall ensure that each overseas post has the services of a medical office that is consistent in size and scope with the needs of the Peace Corps at such post, including, if necessary, by detailing to any such post the licensed medical staff of other United States departments, agencies, or establishments.
(b) Hiring criteria
In selecting medical officers and support staff for overseas Peace Corps posts, the Director of the Peace Corps shall hire well-qualified and capable personnel to support the effectiveness of health care for Peace Corps volunteers by evaluating each candidate's—
(1) medical training, experience, and accreditations or other qualifications;
(2) record of performance;
(3) administrative capabilities;
(4) understanding of the local language and culture;
(5) ability to work in the English language;
(6) interpersonal skills; and
(7) such other factors that the Director determines appropriate.
(c) Certain training
The Director of the Peace Corps shall ensure that each Peace Corps medical officer serving in a malaria-endemic country receives training in the recognition of the side effects of such medications.
(d) Review and evaluation
The Director of the Peace Corps, acting through the Associate Director of the Office of Health Services and the country directors, shall review and evaluate the performance and health care delivery of all Peace Corps medical staff, including medical officers, to—
(A) ensure compliance with all relevant Peace Corps policies, practices, and guidelines; and
(B) ensure that medical staff complete the necessary continuing medical education to maintain their skills and satisfy licensing and credentialing standards, as designated by the Director.
The Director of the Peace Corps shall include, in the annual Peace Corps congressional budget justification, a confirmation that the review and evaluation of all Peace Corps medical staff required under paragraph (1) has been completed.
(e) Antimalarial drugs
The Director of the Peace Corps shall consult with experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding recommendations for prescribing malaria prophylaxis, in order to provide the best standard of care within the context of the Peace Corps environment.

History

(Pub. L. 87–293, title I, §5A, as added Pub. L. 115–256, title I, §101(a)(2), Oct. 9, 2018, 132 Stat. 3651.)