Comfort Arrives in Haiti to Provide Medical Assistance

Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Nall Morgan | USCGC Margaret Norvell (WPC 1105), front, and USCGC Kathleen Moore (WPC 1109) sail alongside the hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) as it is anchored off the coast of Port-Au-Prince, Haiti in preparation for a six-day medical mission, Nov. 4, 2019. Comfort is working with health and government partners in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean to provide care on the ship and at land-based medical sites, helping to relieve pressure on national medical systems, including those strained by an increase in cross-border migrants. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Morgan K. Nall)  

PORT AU PRINCE, HAITI

11.04.2019

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Bobby Siens 

U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command / U.S. 4th Fleet

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – The hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) arrived in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, for its last medical mission stop in Central America, South America and the Caribbean, Nov. 4.

While in Port-au-Prince, U.S. service members and medical professionals will work alongside partner and host nation staff to provide medical assistance in communities with urgent health care needs and demonstrate the commitment to strengthen regional medical capacity.

“We are pleased to welcome the USNS Comfort for its sixth visit to Haiti in the past decade,” said Michele Sison, U.S. ambassador to Haiti. “This visit underscores continued U.S. support for humanitarian assistance in Haiti, as well as our commitment to supporting disaster preparedness and resiliency in the region.”

Comfort’s team consists of more than 900 personnel, including medical specialists from the U.S. military, non-governmental organizations volunteers, and personnel from partner nations.

“I am humbled and proud to be a part of Comfort’s team,” said Lt. Cmdr. Gustavo Lores, a supervisor at the shore-based medical site. “We are committed to providing quality healthcare in order to increase partner capacity and regional collaboration for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, which is a high priority for the region.”

This marks the sixth Comfort visit to Haiti and the seventh to the region since 2007. The embarked medical teams will provide care aboard Comfort and at one shore-based medical site.

This mission stop is part of U.S. Southern Command’s Enduring Promise initiative and reflects the United States’ ongoing commitment to friendship, partnership, and solidarity with partner nations in the Caribbean, Central America and South America.
For more information, visit www.facebook.com/NAVSOUS4THFLT, www.dvidshub.net/feature/comfort2019, and www.navy.mil.

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• Date Taken: 11.04.2019
• Date Posted: 11.07.2019 09:35
• Story ID: 350883
• Location: PORT AU PRINCE, HT