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The Mercy, one of the two US Navy's hospital ships, will drop anchor off Vietnam's south central coast later this month on a humanitarian mission. |
The US Navy hospital ship USNS Mercy set off its San Diego naval base on May 1 for a trip of humanitarian assistance in Southeast Asian countries, including Vietnam.
The Mercy will dock in Quy Nhon portal city in the central province of Binh Dinh by the end of the month and stay in the city for around 13 days, Captain Lisa Franchetti, told a US-based Vietnam News Agency correspondent.
The visit to Vietnam is aimed at conducting humanitarian activities, she added. Its crew will work with their Vietnamese colleagues and officers of non-government organisations to set up mobile general health and dental clinics to provide diagnosis and treatment to local people.
They will also help implement technical projects as requested by the local authorities and exchange medical knowledge and experiences with local doctors.
Since the beginning of all preparations for the Vietnam trip late last year, many of Mercy’s working groups have come to Binh Dinh and worked with local authorities on many issues, including lists of patients to receive on-board operations.
Captain Phranchetti also said the other principal purpose of the trip is to work with host nations on building the relationships and capabilities essential for responding to natural disasters in the region.
Some of the doctors and crew members joining the trip are Vietnamese-originated people.
As part of “Pacific Partnership,” the Mercy will also visit Cambodia , Indonesia , Timor-Leste and Palau , according to the Navy’s Third Fleet.
Mercy had earlier visited Vietnam several times with the same purposes.
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