Antara News, Wednesday, May 26, 2010 18:21 WIB
Ambon, Maluku (ANTARA News) - The United States Navy`s floating hospital, USNS Mercy T-AH-19, is expected to arrive here on July 29, 2010 to support the Surya Baskara Jaya health services operation in Maluku.
Maluku Health Office chief Ms Fat bassalamah said here on Wednesday , the US Navy`s floating hospital would berth at Ambon`s Yos Sudarso pier until August 3, 2010.
"The USNS Mercy will berth at Yos Sudarso pier from July 29 until August 3 to help make Surya Baskara Jaya health service operation a success," Bassalama said, adding that the operation was actually already started last April.
She said the presence of the USNS Mercy would be the realization of the US Navy`s social concern for the people of Maluku to get free medical services as part of the international marine event of Sail Banda 2010.
"The 273-meter long USNS Mercy T-AH-19 with 956 medical personnel and doctors is arguably the most sophisticated vessel in its class to assist the Indonesian Navy`s KRI Dr Soeharso in giving medical services to the people of Maluku," she said.
Bassalamah said the KRI Dr Soeharso and USNS Mercy would give free medical services to people in Ambon while the same was to be done by the Sailing Medical Service (SMS) in the districts of Buru Selatan, West Southeast Maluku (MTB), and Southwest Maluku (MBD).
"In addition, Australia, Malaysia, and Singapore will also send their hospital ships to join the KRI Dr Soeharso and USNS Mercy in the health services operation in the province.
The third-generation USNS Mercy (T-AH-19) is the lead ship in her her class of hospital ships in the United States Navy.
She was named after the virtue of compassion. In accordance with the Geneva Conventions, the USNS Mercy and her crew do not carry any ordnance. Firing on the Mercy is considered a war crime.
The Mercy was originally buildt an oil tanker named SS Worth by the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, San Diego, California, in 1976.
In July 1984, she was renamed and converted into a hospital ship by the same company.
Launched on 20 July 1985, the USNS Mercy was commissioned on November 8, 1986.
She has a raised forecastle, a transom stem, a bulbous bow, an extended deck house with a forward bridge, and a helicopter-landing deck with a flight control facility.
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