USNS Mercy begins mission in South

USNS MERCY — The US naval hospital ship Mercy formally began its two-week humanitarian and medical mission in the southern Philippines yesterday barely hours as it anchored off the coast of this port city.

US Navy Capt. Bradley Martin, USNS Mercy mission commander, said the ship is ready to provide all the needed health care available aboard and on the ground.

The physicians, nurses and support staff of USNS Mercy welcomed patients who were ferried by small seacraft to the world’s biggest floating hospital.

Patients considered not ambulatory will be ferried by the USN HH-60 Pavehawk to the ship.

Capt. Joe Moore, commanding officer for medical treatment facilities of USNS Mercy, said the humanitarian mission is being carried out in coordination with non-governmental organizations and local medical professionals.

Volunteers from the US Public Health Service, Aloha Medical Mission, Project Hope, and the University of California at San Diego Pre-Dental Society and a contingent of medical specialists from the US military and Canadian military are joining the mission.

Medical personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines are also lending a helping hand in the undertaking.