'USNS Mercy' winds up operations

JAKARTA: The U.S. Navy Hospital ship USNS Mercy will depart Nias waters on Saturday, concluding 25 days of humanitarian assistance to victims of the earthquake on the island, according to a release by the U.S. Embassy made available to the media on Friday.

Upon arrival off the coast of Nias on April 5, the hospital ship has provided assistance to international relief organizations and host nation medical teams ashore.

As the only level three trauma hospital in the vicinity of Nias, Mercy evacuated 94 of the most seriously injured and ill patients via helicopter to the ship, where Mercy's doctors and medical personnel performed 123 surgical and 19,311 medical procedures. Ashore, Mercy's medical teams performed 2,149 dental procedures and distributed 2,577 pairs of glasses to the people of Nias, who suffered a monster earthquake that rocked the island on March 28. -- JP