The US Navy’s hospital ship USNS Mercy. (Photo: VNA)Khanh Hoa (VNA) – The US Navy’s hospital shipUSNS Mercy left the port of Nha Trang on June 2 after two-week mission in NhaTrang, the central coast province of Khanh Hoa as part of the PacificPartnership 2018 (PP18) since May 17.
It was the 13th Pacific Partnership and the second time the programmehas come to Khanh Hoa, following the first in 2008.
The annual multilateral humanitarian assistance anddisaster relief preparedness mission conducted in the Pacific and Indian Oceanthis year consists of more than 800 personnel from the US and partner nations,including the UK, Canada, France, Australia, Sri Lanka, Chile and Peru. Theprogram aims to enhance national capacities and medical readiness andpreparedness for disasters like earthquake, tsunami, and volcanic eruption.
During the Vietnam mission, the PP18 constructed,upgraded and repaired many classrooms, commune-based hospital rooms in Ninh Hoatown and Dien Lam and Dien Khanh districts. Training and experience sharing indisaster prevention and response were provided for hundreds of local people inthe provincial capital of Nha Trang and Cam Lam district. Over 110 beachlifeguards working in beaches across Nha Trang were also offered training ondrowning rescue and prevention.
In addition, the medical team of the ship USNS Mercyheld training for nearly 1,100 local medical workers and worked alongside localhospitals to give medical checkups and treatment to hundreds people. Thanks tothe programme, more than 190 people received free surgeries, including 78 kneeand hip replacement surgeries.
Commissioned in 1986, the USNS Mercy is called “superhospital” of the US Navy. It is 272m long, 32m wide and equipped with 12operation rooms, 100 beds and modern medical equipment to conduct complicatedsurgeries on board. The vessel provides not only medical care for US armedforces but also comprehensive health services for the US’s global humanitarianand disaster relief mission.-VNA
VNA
