The Vietnamese Vice Minister of Health and the U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam experienced partnership firsthand as they toured USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) and a Seabee construction project in Quy Nhon June 4 in support of Pacific Partnership 2010.

The U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, Michael W. Michalak (2nd from right), the Vietnamese Vice Minister of Health, Trinh Quan Huan (1 st from left), visit the Quang Trung ward medical clinic. Photo U.S. Pacific Fleet

The Vice Minister of Health, Trinh Quan Huan, and the Ambassador, Michael W. Michalak, were interested in seeing exactly what capabilities Pacific Partnership brings to the people of Vietnam during the 13-day mission stay.

Pacific Partnership was created in the wake of the tsunami which struck Indonesia in 2004. Since 2006, partner nations and non-governmental organizations have come together each year to continue to foster the relationships developed during those challenging months to provide medical, dental, veterinary, and engineering civic action programs as well as subject matter expert exchanges (SMEE) with local medical professionals.

Sponsored by the Vietnamese Ministry of Health, this is Pacific Partnership’s third visit to Vietnam and the second for USNS Mercy.

As the Ambassador walked the passageways of the hospital ship, he noticed not only the variety of U.S. military uniforms, but also the large number of partner nation military professionals and non-governmental organization volunteers going about their day, maintaining Mercy’s ability to provide health care and surgery to those in need. Also noteworthy, was the number of Vietnamese medical specialists onboard Mercy – not for medical care, but rather onboard to exchange information in the form of SMEE sessions on a range of different areas.

“I think that we’ve had excellent cooperation from the Government of Vietnam and we’ve learned an awful lot in doing these missions,” said Michalak. “And this one, from what I understand, has been absolutely the smoothest and the best coordinated mission of all.”

Anchored just off of Mercy is JDS Kunisaki (LST 4003), the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force ship which will work alongside Mercy and local Vietnamese to also provide medical care. More than 30 medical professionals from Kunisaki have joined the Pacific Partnership team and are going ashore each day to treat those in need.

The Vice Minister and the Ambassador visited one of the Seabee engineering sites in Quy Nhon upon completion of his tour of Mercy’s hospital facilities. The construction project focused on the Quang Trung Clinic District Health Center which provides health services to more than 24,000 residents that live in the area, with an average of 300 to 400 patients seen each month.

The clinic is the second of four engineering civic action programs to be completed by engineers from Australia, the U.S., and Vietnam. Vietnamese volunteers had a major role in executing the project. The Ambassador explained that plans for the renovations were designed by Vietnamese firms in the Quy Nhon area; all of the materials were purchased in Quy Nhon – an initiative implemented by Defense Supply Center Philadelphia Pacific Region; and a large part of the labor was provided by Vietnamese volunteers.

The locals and militaries weren’t the only ones contributing to the clinic. Project Handclasp, the U.S. Navy’s worldwide outreach program, and Latter-day Saint Charities donated boxes of medical supplies to be used by the doctors and nurses. Nour International, another non-governmental organization, facilitated the international shipping and delivery of the supplies. Project Hope donated over $19,000 worth of medical supplies and equipment that has been specifically requested by the clinic and a nearby hospital. Without the partnership between all the parties, the project couldn’t have been completed so seamlessly.

After cutting the ribbon to rededicate the health clinic, Vice Minister and the Ambassador toured the newly refurbished treatment center. Among the improvements were patching the roof; installing new metal-framed doors and windows; repairing and painting the interior and exterior; installing ceiling fans; and replacing electrical fixtures throughout.

Pacific Partnership’s work in Vietnam is a visible example of the progress between the U.S. and Vietnam in the 15 years since the normalization of relations between the two countries.

"It [Pacific Partnership] increases the trust and confidence between the two nations and enhances the military-to-military relationship to a new higher level," said the Ambassador.

Pacific Partnership 2010 is the fifth in a series of annual U.S. Pacific Fleet humanitarian and civic assistance endeavors aimed at strengthening regional partnerships among U.S. government organizations, host nations, partner nations, and international humanitarian and relief organizations.

This article was originally published at http://www.c7f.navy.mil/news/2010/06-june/10.htm