31 August 2022
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has conveyed the government’s sincere appreciation for the visit by the US Navy Hospital Ship Mercy to Solomon Islands to assist our people and our country.
The Prime Minister shared the message at the Unity Square before the ship’s Pacific Partnership Mission Commander Henry Kim, Captain Feinburg and Captain Nolan, United States Officials, and the traveling contingent of the US Navy Hospital Ship Mercy.
PM Sogavare said “It is a fitting demonstration of our strengthening cooperation with the visit coming shortly after the commemoration of the 80th Anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal earlier this month”.
The Prime Minister thanked Mission Commander Kim, Captain Feinburg and Captain Nolan “…for dedicating the vast resources of the US Navy Hospital Ship Mercy to support the people and government of Solomon Islands”.
PM Sogavare reiterated that the visit by the US Navy Hospital Ship Mercy is welcome and the services provided to the people of Solomon Islands is sincerely appreciated.
PM Sogavare also made a suggestion for such a visit to be made on an annual basis, and that it would be excellent to have the US Navy Hospital Ship Mercy to visit during the hosting of the Pacific Games from 19 November to 2 December.
“A visit during the 2023 Pacific Games will add a new dimension to the Pacific partnership program, because US Navy Hospital Ship MERCY will be supporting all twenty-four nations in the Pacific in one single location,” the Prime Minister added.
PM Manasseh Sogavare further said such a visit will also provide relief to the Ministry of Health and Medical Services whose primary responsibility will be to look after over 5,000 athletes and officials from 24 countries in the Pacific region.
– GCU
Comment
The visit of the US Navy Hospital Ship in support of the people of the Solomon Islands is indeed very welcome as Prime Minister Sogavare has said.
I hope the medical personnel aboard the ship will help the people with disabilities in Honiara while in port, especially rendering screening assistance to disabled people to check them for any early signs of diseases, including cancer, lung, heart and liver diseases, as well as diabetes.
The SIPWD office should be the contact point for the ship to contact to facilitate any assistance to the local disabled community.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
