• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Comfort Departs Ecuador

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS070823-09
Release Date: 8/23/2007 12:04:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Steven King, USNS Comfort Public Affairs

MANTA, Ecuador (NNS) -- Hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) departed Ecuador Aug. 20, after completing almost a week of humanitarian work in Ecuador.

Comfort crew members worked at several sites in and around the small coastal fishing community of Manta, offering a wide variety of services including medical and veterinary care and community projects.

“We were very well received by the people of Ecuador,” said Capt. Bob Kapcio, Comfort’s mission commander. “There is no way we could have helped as many people as we did without the active support of our hosts.”

Thousands of patients were seen at the Angelica Flores School and 10 De Agosto School medical sites where dental, optometry and primary adult and pediatric care services were provided. The pharmacy during this mission dispensed nearly 16,700 prescriptions between both sites.

“The two medical sites were ideal where they were situated -- being close to the ship. We were able to get our people and our supplies to the site quickly,” said Capt. Bruce Boynton, commanding officer, Medical Treatment Facility. “The layout of the two facilities provided very good patient flow as well, we were able to see a large number of people.”

Pre-operation screening was done at the Rodriquez Zambrano Hospital, with 98 approved surgeries performed aboard Comfort.

Comfort crew members also delivered medical equipment and supplies totaling more than $13,400 to the Rodriquez Zambrano Hospital on behalf of Project Handclasp, a U.S. non-profit charitable organization. Hospital beds, hospital furniture, and children and infants’ clothing made up the delivery. Several wheelchairs were also donated by members of Project Hope.

The Seabees from Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit 202 constructed concrete sidewalks and handicapped ramps at the Angelica Flores School. The Seabees also installed fluorescent lighting and ceiling fans, replaced faulty plumbing, repaired roofs and painted playground equipment with help from volunteers from Comfort personnel and from groups such as Military Sealift Command, Army, Air Force, Coast Guard and Ecuadorian nationals.

Patients awaiting care were entertained by the U.S. Navy Show Band, which performed at several medical work sites as well as at Manta Boardwalk.

Comfort veterinarians traveled the countryside and provided educational training to local farmers, and vaccinated and dewormed scores of cattle, goats, dogs and cats for a total of more than 6,500 animal treatments.

“The Ecuador leg of our mission was a great success,” said Kapcio. “We helped a lot of people and improved the quality of life for many; I’m looking forward to the rest of our mission.”

Comfort will work in Colombia next, continuing its four-month humanitarian deployment to Latin America and the Caribbean providing medical care to a dozen countries.