Military

USNS Comfort Arrives in Ecuador, Continues Mission

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS070816-10
Release Date: 8/16/2007 11:20:00 AM

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kelly E. Barnes, USNS Comfort Public Affairs

MANTA, Ecuador (NNS) -- After treating patients in the first six of 12 scheduled countries, hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) arrived in the port of Manta on Aug. 15 to continue its four-month humanitarian assistance deployment.

While in Ecuador, members of the U.S. Navy, Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Public Health Service, Canadian forces and the non-governmental organization Project Hope will continue Comfort’s mission of providing the people of Latin America and the Caribbean with health care services, including adult and pediatric primary care, dental care, optometry and other services.

“The Comfort team is really looking forward to reaching out and connecting with the people of Ecuador,” said Capt. Bob Kapcio, Comfort’s mission commander.

In addition to the medical services provide the Comfort team, embarked Naval Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit 202 will support several community projects, including constructing handicapped access ramps, plumbing and piping repairs or replacements, electrical repairs, adding or repairing ceiling fans and replacing lighting fixtures.

Comfort will remain in Ecuador for approximately a week conducting operations at various locations, including Angelica Flores School, 10 de Agosto School, Maruja Cedeno School, Luis Teadon Castro School and Rodriquez Zambrano Hospital.

Comfort is on a 120-day humanitarian assistance deployment to Latin America and the Caribbean providing medical assistance to patients in more than a dozen countries.