Health Diplomacy Weekly Update
Week # 5: 12 July – 18 July
In response to both Presidential and Secretarial initiatives, the Office of Force Readiness and Deployment in the Office of Public Health and Science’s Office of the Surgeon General, is currently deploying teams of commissioned officers on two separate Navy ships undertaking health diplomacy missions. The USNS COMFORT is on a 4 month mission to 12 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. The USS PELELIU is on a 3 month mission to 6 Pacific Rim and Pacific Island countries.
USNS COMFORT
USPHS Officer-in-Charge (OIC): CAPT Craig Shepherd
- COMFORT arrived in Corinto, Nicaragua 17 July. Current USPHS detachment (Team 2): 7 physicians, 2 dentists, 4 dental hygienists, 2 nurses, 2 environmental health officers (including OIC), 1 engineer, 1 veterinarian.
- While in Colon Panama collectively, COMFORT personnel treated nearly 5,000 patients during a four-day site visit at the Al Brown Arena in Colon. In addition, COMFORT personnel treated approximately 20,000 patients at Juan Antonio Nunez Policentro and Amador Guerrero Hospital, for an overall total of nearly 25,000 patients.
- Prior to arrival in Nicaragua, the COMFORT was in Panama City, Panama where the crew was on liberty for 2 days. During this time, USPHS Team 1 departed the COMFORT, returned to their duty stations in the USA and were replaced by members of USPHS Team 2.
- The USPHS Teams aboard the COMFORT have gained considerable attention from the press. The following is from a recent interview with COMFORT mission Navy Commodore, CAPT Robert Kapcio: “I honestly knew very little about the Public Health Service before I started this mission,” said Kapcio. “I now have a new-found respect and admiration for what they’ve done. Their dedication, their enthusiasm -- has been second to none.”
- Team 2 has been undergoing orientation briefings on the COMFORT. They have met with the ship’s leadership and are gaining familiarity with the various departments of the ship. USPHS Team 2 began making visits ashore in Corinto, Nicaragua today.
USS PELELIU
USPHS OIC: CAPT Kathleen Downs
- PELELIU has arrived in Da Nang, Vietnam.
- Current USPHS detachment: 1 environmental health officer, 1 environmental engineer, 1 pharmacist (OIC)
- 15 July: A small group visitedthe sites identified by the country and the advance team where the personnel would be working. They started visiting the sites where they would hold the MEDCAPS and other meetings the following day.
- 16 July: First day implementing two ‘large’ MEDCAPS. In addition to medical services – there were engineering projects that also are being executed. However, none of the medical supplies, equipment, pharmaceuticals cleared customs! Nonetheless upon arrival to the medical site there were approximately 140 patients already there. The team did their best to prepare the rooms to see patients. Finally, they received a very limited amount of meds to dispense to patients. By day’s end they had seen 243 patients (mostly older women and kids between 5-10 years old); and filled 176 prescriptions. The other medical site had similar issues with minimal pharmaceuticals. Not quite as busy, they saw 107 patients; and filled approximately 100 prescriptions.
- 17 July: Team 2 disembarked the ship and returned to their duty stations in the USA. They were replaced with a small Team 2 (2 officers). Both officers are adjusting to life aboard the PELELIU and getting oriented to the mission in Vietnam and beyond.
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Page last modified: June 29, 2007