• Military Menu                       

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

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Mercy Arrives in Papua New Guinea, Continues Pacific Partnership 2008

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS080804-14
Release Date: 8/4/2008 6:23:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Mark Logico, Pacific Partnership 2008 Public Affairs

ABOARD USNS MERCY (NNS) -- The naval hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) arrived at Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea Aug. 4 to provide humanitarian civic assistance (HCA) in a coordinated effort with local and partner nation non-government organizations (NGO) and international militaries.

During the ship's 13 day visit, the crew aboard Mercy is scheduled to conduct medical, dental and engineering civic action programs in multiple areas in and around the capital of the country as part of the Pacific Partnership 2008 mission. They will also be admitting patients aboard the ship for any further examinations, surgeries and care.

"The Pacific Partnership team is a unique team formed from organizations with very different skills and capabilities, but unified in purpose to conduce a very important mission," said Adm. Robert Willard, commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet. "They carry with them a spirit of caring, commitment and compassion on this deployment for our Pacific neighbors."

Pacific Partnership is a humanitarian mission that is composed of multiple organizations which includes representatives from Australia, Canada, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Chile and India. The effort will be carried out in conjunction with local NGOs such as Rotary Club of Port Moresby, Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Papua New Guinea Organization of Civic Service Organization and St. John Ambulance. U.S. based NGOs will also be part of the operation: University of California, San Diego Pre-Dental Society, Project Hope, Operation Smile and relief teams.

Papua New Guinea is located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, and it consists of numerous offshore islands and the eastern half of the island of New Guinea. While the country is considered one of the most diverse in the world with more than 850 indigenous languages and traditional societies, the official languages are English, Tok Pisin and Hiri Motu.

Mercy has visited the Republic of the Philippines, Vietnam and Timor-Leste, and following much needed rest and relaxation in Darwin, Australia, will continue the HCA mission in Papua New Guinea and the Federated States of Micronesia.

For more news from Pacific Partnership 2008, visit www.navy.mil/local/PP08/.