By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kelly E. Barnes

SALAVERRY, Peru – After seeing thousands of patients in Belize, Guatemala, Panama, Nicaragua and El Salvador, hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) will arrive in Peru Aug. 6 to continue its four-month humanitarian assistance deployment.

While in Peru, U.S. Navy, Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, U.S. Public Health Service, Canadian Forces and non-governmental organizations, such as Operation Smile and Project Hope, will continue providing the people of Latin America and the Caribbean with health care services, including adult and pediatric primary care, dental care, optometry and other services.

More than 30 Operation Smile personnel will board the ship Aug. 8 to conduct cleft lip and cleft palate operations aboard.

In addition to medical services the Comfort team will offer, the embarked Naval Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit 202’s community projects in Peru include building a concrete theater stage, building or rebuilding 10 new soccer goals, and performing various plumbing and electrical repairs. Project Handclasp, a non-profit organization partnered with the U.S. Navy to deliver items from donors to communities outside the United States, is donating more than $11,000 worth of goods to the people of Peru, including three hospital beds, hospital furniture and children’s and infants’ clothing.

Comfort will remain in Peru for nearly a week conducting operations at various locations, including Miguel Grau School, Sanchez Carrion, National University Dental School, Trujillo Regional Teaching Hospital and Jose Alaya School.

“We are excited about our upcoming arrival, and look forward to building on our partnerships and friendships with the people of Peru,” said mission commander Capt. Bob Kapcio.

Comfort is on a 120-day humanitarian assistance deployment to Latin America and the Caribbean providing medical assistance to patients in more than a dozen countries.