USNS Mercy - Deployment 2006

Zamboanga, Republic of the Philippines (May. 27, 2006) Air Force Lt. Col. Doris Wong, of Las Vegas, Nev., performs an eye exam for a patient at the Zamboanga Medical Center. Wong, attached to U.S. Naval hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19), helped with over 250 eye exams and distributed 200 pairs of glasses to the local residents of Zamboanga. Mercy is on a five-month humanitarian deployment to South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands. The medical crew aboard Mercy will also provide general and ophthalmology surgery, basic medical evaluation and treatment, preventive medicine treatment, dental screenings and treatment, optometry screenings, eyewear distribution, public health training and veterinary services as requested by the host nations. Like all U.S. Naval forces Mercy is able to rapidly respond to a range of situations on short notice. Mercy is uniquely capable of supporting medical and humanitarian assistance needs and is configured with special medical equipment and a robust multi-specialized medical team who can provide a range of services ashore as well as aboard the ship. The medical staff is augmented with an assistance crew, many of whom are part of non-governmental organizations, which have significant medical capabilities. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Erika N. Jones File# 060527-N-3714J-063