Comfort Mission a Success in Dominican Republic
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS090502-16
Release Date: 5/2/2009 3:17:00 PM
By Airman 1st Class Benjamin Stratton
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (NNS) -- Medical teams aboard hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) saw their last patients May 1 on the second stop during Continuing Promise 2009 (CP09).
"For a community who doesn't have access to a lot of medical care, the services we've provided alongside host nation personnel have made a tremendous impression," said Air Force Maj. Efrain Delvalle, Comfort pharmacist.
CP09 combines U.S. military and interagency personnel, non-governmental organizations, civil service mariners, academics and partner nations to provide medical, dental, veterinary and engineering services afloat and ashore alongside host nation personnel.
Comfort teams offered optometry, dental, adult medicine, pediatrics, dermatology and pharmaceutical services to the Dominican Republic.
"It is vitally important Comfort has brought this medical care here," said Hospitalman Kathleen Burgos, Comfort patient administrator. "We have seen more people at this particular site than any other. I think we have made a huge impact both in the medical services provided and the friendships fostered. You can really tell these people appreciate what we've accomplished."
Comfort has 250 patient beds and more than 850 personnel embarked, employing four operating rooms, X-ray machines, CT scan, pharmacy, dental suites, physical therapy and a variety of other services.
"I love what we're doing for these people," said Chief Hospital Corpsman John Weber, Comfort full-time provider. "It is amazing to see what a determined crew can accomplish in such a short amount of time."
Comfort has seen more than 9,000 patients and performed 198 surgeries in the Dominican Republic.
Comfort is scheduled to visit five more countries as part of CP09: Antigua and Barbuda, Colombia, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Panama.
For more news from Continuing Promise, visit visit www.navy.mil/local/cp/.
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