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APS Delivers Hope in Ghana

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS080310-13
Release Date: 3/10/2008 1:38:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael Campbell, Africa Partnership Station Public Affairs

TEMA, Ghana (NNS) -- In partnership with Project HOPE (Health Opportunities for People Everywhere), a private voluntary organization with an emphasis on advancing health through humanitarian assistance and education worldwide, Africa Partnership Station (APS) delivered more than $500,000 worth of medicine, supplies and equipment March 5.

Part of the 19-pallet donation was received by Ghana's Ministry of Health and the Manhean Clinic, where over the next week, 13 Project HOPE volunteers and 10 APS medical professionals will be providing medical care and education as part of APS.

The remainder, nearly $100,000 in equipment and supplies, will help equip a new medical clinic currently being constructed by 25 U.S. Navy Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalions (NMCB) 40 and 74, and 15 Ghanaian military engineers from the 48th and 49th Army Engineers.

Combined with a donation of vaccines to the Ministry of Health offloaded from USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) in mid-February, APS has delivered more than $1 million in donations on behalf of Project HOPE in Ghana.

High Speed Vessel 2 Swift transported the most recent donation from Little Creek, Va., to Tema. Once the ship was moored, members of the crew unloaded the pallets of supplies onto the pier. From there, NMCB Sailors provided transportation for the majority of the donation from the pier to Manhean Clinic. The Ministry of Health also provided a vehicle.

The Manhean donation will be used by Project HOPE volunteers to treat local Ghanaians will medical needs such as postnatal care, malaria and yellow fever.
Once at the clinic, the Seabee truck was off-loaded by the Seabees and their Ghanaian Army counterparts, Project HOPE volunteers, and clinic staff.

The United States Agency for International Development office in Ghana assisted with coordinating the donation. Members of a Navy Maritime Civil Affairs Team did much of the legwork. Ghana's Ministry of Health was also instrumental.

"No single organization can accomplish something like this alone," said Lt. Cmdr. Chuck Bell, a civil affairs planner from Maritime Civil Affairs Squadron 2 and the APS nongovernmental organization activities coordinator.

"The partnership between Project HOPE and APS to provide equipment for the clinic being constructed by the Seabees and Ghanaian engineers, for instance, is a great collaboration that enhances each organization's efforts on behalf of the Ghanaian people," Bell said.

"Without APS and the Navy this delivery may not have been possible. From organizing meals to transportation and delivery of the supplies, APS and the Navy civil affairs Sailors have been great partners in getting this mission accomplished," said Marisol Euceda, media relations specialist for Project HOPE. "The partnership between our two organizations has been wonderful and we all look forward to working with the Navy in the future."

APS is also facilitating a Project HOPE donation to Liberia's Ministry of Health and health facilities there later this month.

APS is a U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa-led initiative, executed by a multinational staff aboard Swift and amphibious dock-landing ship Fort McHenry.

During its deployment, Swift has been working with various government and nongovernmental organizations to support ongoing regional meteorological and oceanography initiatives, host fisheries training events, and deliver humanitarian aid to African nations.

For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe -Commander, 6th Fleet or Africa Partnership Station, visit www.navy.mil/local/naveur/.