USNS Mercy arrival a blessing for Ambon’s neediest residents

M. Azis Tunny, The Jakarta Post, Ambon | Thu, 07/29/2010 9:47 AM |

Nurjanah could not be happier. Her three-year-old daughter, Cici Mahdani, just received corrective surgery to a cleft palate she was born with aboard the 273-meter floating hospital US Navy hospital ship, USNS Mercy.

The 24-year-old mother said she could not have afforded the surgery otherwise.

“I’m so grateful that my daughter received free surgery here. She could not have the surgery before since we did not have the money to take her to the hospital,” she told The Jakarta Post in the ship’s waiting room on Wednesday.

The vessel, carrying 956 US Navy military and civilian personnel, docked in Ambon on Monday. It is on a mission to provide free medical services, including surgeries, as part of Operation Surya Baskara Jaya, which is part of the ongoing Sail Banda maritime event.

The free medical services was also hassle free, according to Nurjanah, who said she did not have to undergo any complicated administrative procedures.

Nurjanah said she was only required to submit a letter explaining where she lives and a letter on her daughter’s ailment. The next day, her daughter was on the surgery list.

“When I heard about the ship’s services from my cousin, who works at a community health clinic in Ambon, I was just submitted the letters and my daughter could come here for the surgery. The

arrangements took only one day,” Nurjanah said.

Despite her troubles in speaking English, she said the doctors and attendants made efforts to consult her condition and that of her daughter.

Nurjanah said she felt lucky to be able to board the world’s largest hospital ship. Out of the hundreds of patients who were offered treatment, only 83 had been referred for surgery aboard the sophisticated vessel.

USNS Mercy contingent commander Capt. Jeffery W. Paulson said more than 20 patients had undergone surgery aboard the vessel since Tuesday.

“We intend to operate on 83 patients on the ship. We have also opened a dental clinic and worked together with 50 health clinics in Ambon and the surrounding areas,” Paulson said.

“We estimate that 500 patients will receive treatment each day.

“The biggest surgery we’ve performed so far on our visit to Ambon was an orthopedic surgery. But we’ve also performed cataract and harelip surgeries,” said Paulson.

During its visit to Ambon, the USNS Mercy will provide free surgery, medical treatment and dental care at a number of locations in Ambon and the surrounding islands, including Seram and Haruku islands.

Currently on its 2010 Pacific Partnership mission, USNS Mercy is supported by 65 doctors and assisted by hundreds of medical attendants.

In the Pacific Partnership mission, the USNS Mercy is led by three captains — Capt. Lisa M. Franchetti (Pacific Partnership mission commander), Capt. Jeffery W. Paulson (medical contingent commander) and Capt. David C. Bradshaw (ship’s captain).

The 2010 Pacific Partnership is part of the fifth training exercise conducted in Indonesia aiming to help disaster victims and strengthen regional cooperation.

The humanitarian mission carried out by the US and a number of countries is currently taking place simultaneously with the Sail Banda event in Maluku.

Mission commander Capt. Franchetti said she was proud to be a part of the Sail Banda event.

“Our visit to Maluku has been very productive and full of memories,” said Franchetti.

Various teams participating in the mission in Indonesia are professionals in various fields, such as medical and machinery.

They come from Australia, Canada, Cambodia, Singapore, New Zealand, England, Indonesia and the US armed forces.

Volunteers from a number of NGOs are also involved in the mission.

The USNS Mercy has made three visits to Indonesia. The first was its involvement in humanitarian efforts after the 2004 boxing day tsunami that devastated Aceh. In 2006, it docked in Indonesia as part of its five-monthly program providing medical mitigation programs in Bangladesh, Timor Leste and the Philippines.

After setting sail from Ambon, the USNS Mercy will head to Timor Leste to complete the 2010 Pacific Partnership mission.

Mercy visit: The US Navy's USNS Mercy hospital ship docks in the Gulf of Jakarta on Wednesday. The ship will take part in the Sail Banda 2010, which is scheduled to run from late July to August.Antara/Fanny Octavianus

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