"Greetings from the USNS Comfort Hospital Ship, sailing off the Atlantic coast of Florida on our way to the Caribbean and beyond. I am Captain J. J. Ware, USN, DC, the Commanding Officer for Hospital Comfort, a team of international Medical Professionals that will be conducting the Medical Humanitarian efforts during Continuing Promise 2009 in coordination with our Central and South American Partner Nations.
This International Medical Humanitarian Mission has been in the planning stages for over 10 months with advanced medical teams traveling to all seven of our host nations. During that time, Pre Deployment medical teams coordinated through the American Embassies in each country, have worked hand-in-hand with each Nation's Ministry of Health. These teams have developed a tailor-made medical, dental and veterinarian plan to foster professional exchange and assist in medical care.
Continuing Promise 2009's mission is focused on developing and enhancing lasting professional medical relationships in each of the countries we visit, while providing safe, quality medical care. To this end, our medical goal is to bring relief and hope to those in need while building professional partnerships with the local medical communities who will be working side by side with us each and everyday.
During this mission, Hospital Comfort will have over 1300 medical personnel rotating to the ship in different ports-of-call, providing multi-discipline care in a wide variety of specialty areas. Hospital Comfort will utilize 4-8 operating rooms on-board the ship, providing surgical care in pediatric and adult general surgery, orthopedic surgery, ophthalmology, urology, ENT, Maxillo-facial, OB/GYN with accompanying diagnostic specialty capabilities in Radiology (to include Interventional Radiology), Laboratory, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Optometry, and Dental services. We will also bring with us onboard Hospital Comfort, an extensive expertise in the area of medical equipment services and repair to assist in each country as needed.
Professional medical, dental and nursing exchange programs will also be another focused ambition for our mission. We hope to partner with the host nation Medical, Dental and Nursing schools and local professional organizations in each country to come together in the spirit of humanitarian cooperation, to exchange professional knowledge. These sharing opportunities will go a long way in developing understanding and respect amongst the multiple nations involved with our mission.
We have already pre-screened hundreds of potential surgical patients in each country, using local medical communities to channel prospective patients into our diagnostic and treatment system.
The real strength of the Medical staff on Hospital Comfort is the diverse group of national and international health professional who will be coming together from all over the Globe to make this medical expedition possible.
Non-Government Organizations from across America have volunteered to support this mission. I expect to meet and integrate into this hospital ship over 350 Civilian Humanitarian Medical Volunteers from all corners of our country who have unselfishly donated time and travel expenses to support this effort. The fact is thousands of professionals volunteered and unfortunately the 1000 bed capacity for staff on the ship became a limiting factor in how many we could take with us. Fortunately we have another 500 beds available for patients and guardians/escorts.
Project Hope, a leading organization for humanitarian assistance world-wide, will have 140 volunteers serving in multiple capacities. Operation Smile will focus their expertise in the treatment of cleft lip and cleft palate surgery and will bring 4 international teams to the mission. The University of California San Diego (UCSD) Pre-Dental Society will provide a wide spectrum of humanitarian volunteers (approximately 140) to support the mission. The Church of Later-Day Saints will provide nurses and multi-task helpers in support. Food For The Poor, and international relief organization, and the International Rotary organization have volunteered to provide patient transporters, translators and other support as needed to facilitate this mission.
Internationally, the countries of Canada, The Netherlands, Chile, France, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Panama, Colombia, Antigua Barbuda, Dominican Republic and Haiti will provide expert medical personnel in their field to support this four month humanitarian mission on board Hospital Comfort.
The United States will have a large active duty U.S. Navy component (400+), U. S. Navy Reservists component (210 personnel), Army National Guard and Reserve (240 personnel), U.S. Air Force (52 full-time personnel), US Coast Guard (6 personnel) and U.S. Public Health Services (50+ personnel). This is truly a joint medical mission and would not have been possible without support from all the Department of Defense services who have contributed manpower to this Southern Command initiative.
In the days and weeks to come, I look forward to sharing with you our efforts and success in the medical arena, as we build bridges with our neighbors to the south."
This International Medical Humanitarian Mission has been in the planning stages for over 10 months with advanced medical teams traveling to all seven of our host nations. During that time, Pre Deployment medical teams coordinated through the American Embassies in each country, have worked hand-in-hand with each Nation's Ministry of Health. These teams have developed a tailor-made medical, dental and veterinarian plan to foster professional exchange and assist in medical care.
Continuing Promise 2009's mission is focused on developing and enhancing lasting professional medical relationships in each of the countries we visit, while providing safe, quality medical care. To this end, our medical goal is to bring relief and hope to those in need while building professional partnerships with the local medical communities who will be working side by side with us each and everyday.
During this mission, Hospital Comfort will have over 1300 medical personnel rotating to the ship in different ports-of-call, providing multi-discipline care in a wide variety of specialty areas. Hospital Comfort will utilize 4-8 operating rooms on-board the ship, providing surgical care in pediatric and adult general surgery, orthopedic surgery, ophthalmology, urology, ENT, Maxillo-facial, OB/GYN with accompanying diagnostic specialty capabilities in Radiology (to include Interventional Radiology), Laboratory, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Optometry, and Dental services. We will also bring with us onboard Hospital Comfort, an extensive expertise in the area of medical equipment services and repair to assist in each country as needed.
Professional medical, dental and nursing exchange programs will also be another focused ambition for our mission. We hope to partner with the host nation Medical, Dental and Nursing schools and local professional organizations in each country to come together in the spirit of humanitarian cooperation, to exchange professional knowledge. These sharing opportunities will go a long way in developing understanding and respect amongst the multiple nations involved with our mission.
We have already pre-screened hundreds of potential surgical patients in each country, using local medical communities to channel prospective patients into our diagnostic and treatment system.
The real strength of the Medical staff on Hospital Comfort is the diverse group of national and international health professional who will be coming together from all over the Globe to make this medical expedition possible.
Non-Government Organizations from across America have volunteered to support this mission. I expect to meet and integrate into this hospital ship over 350 Civilian Humanitarian Medical Volunteers from all corners of our country who have unselfishly donated time and travel expenses to support this effort. The fact is thousands of professionals volunteered and unfortunately the 1000 bed capacity for staff on the ship became a limiting factor in how many we could take with us. Fortunately we have another 500 beds available for patients and guardians/escorts.
Project Hope, a leading organization for humanitarian assistance world-wide, will have 140 volunteers serving in multiple capacities. Operation Smile will focus their expertise in the treatment of cleft lip and cleft palate surgery and will bring 4 international teams to the mission. The University of California San Diego (UCSD) Pre-Dental Society will provide a wide spectrum of humanitarian volunteers (approximately 140) to support the mission. The Church of Later-Day Saints will provide nurses and multi-task helpers in support. Food For The Poor, and international relief organization, and the International Rotary organization have volunteered to provide patient transporters, translators and other support as needed to facilitate this mission.
Internationally, the countries of Canada, The Netherlands, Chile, France, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Panama, Colombia, Antigua Barbuda, Dominican Republic and Haiti will provide expert medical personnel in their field to support this four month humanitarian mission on board Hospital Comfort.
The United States will have a large active duty U.S. Navy component (400+), U. S. Navy Reservists component (210 personnel), Army National Guard and Reserve (240 personnel), U.S. Air Force (52 full-time personnel), US Coast Guard (6 personnel) and U.S. Public Health Services (50+ personnel). This is truly a joint medical mission and would not have been possible without support from all the Department of Defense services who have contributed manpower to this Southern Command initiative.
In the days and weeks to come, I look forward to sharing with you our efforts and success in the medical arena, as we build bridges with our neighbors to the south."
Capt. Ware,
ReplyDeleteWe met on the Mercy last summer. I wish you and the crew of the Comfort God's speed, fair weather and a following sea.
Warm regards,
Dave Reiser