(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –the United States Navy hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) with the U.S. and partner nation service members participated in Pacific Partnership 2018 in Sri Lanka left the port of Trincomalee Wednesday, May 9 for the mission’s next port in Nha Trang, Vietnam.
USNS Mercy arrived in Trincomalee on April 25 on the second Pacific Partnership mission in Sri Lanka. The mission in Trincomalee continued through May 8 and featured Pacific Partnership doctors and medical personnel working side-by-side with Sri Lankan medical professionals to exchange best practices.
During their stay in the country, U.S. and partner nation service members along with their Sri Lankan counterparts will join in civil engineering projects humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR) readiness seminars and public outreach engagements at schools, hospitals, community centers and focusing on public throughout the local community.
“We’ve continued to build upon the partnerships we forged during prior Pacific Partnerships,” said Captain David Bretz, PP18 mission commander. “The teamwork I saw between the Sri Lankans and all of our partner nations gives me great confidence that as we leave here we are all better prepared to respond to potential disasters,” DVIDS said quoting Captain Bretz.
While in port, Sailors from the engineering department collaborated in the construction and opening of the new emergency room at Kappalthurel Medical Center, in the construction of new toilet blocks in the Chinabay Medical Center and the Vyravar Kovilady Pre-school. They also participated in to subject matter information exchange conferences about the use of different water resources in the area and different infrastructure design and construction.
U.S. Sailors in other departments participated in several community relation events such as concerts by the U.S. Pacific Fleet Band and interacting with the local children at schools. The medical department participated in a total of 13 cooperative health emergency scenarios and 26 different medical information exchange discussions.
Pacific Partnership 2018 consists of more than 500 U.S. military personnel stationed worldwide, working side-by-side with host nation counterparts to be better prepared for potential humanitarian aid and disaster response situations.
