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U.S. Navy Hospital Ship Improved More Than Health of People in Southeast Asia

Posted on: Thursday, 16 November 2006, 09:01 CST

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- The recent mission of the U.S. Navy's hospital ship, USNS Mercy, did more than improve the health of thousands of people in Indonesia and Bangladesh. According to public opinion research released today by Terror Free Tomorrow, attitudes toward America in both countries -- the world's largest and third largest Muslim nations respectively -- also improved.

Today at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., Admiral Mike Mullen, Chief of Naval Operations, joined John P. Howe, III, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Project HOPE, to share the results of the Mercy's recent five-month deployment to the Philippines, Indonesia, Bangladesh and East Timor. In addition, Kenneth Ballen, President of Terror Free Tomorrow, revealed new public opinion surveys that demonstrate the impact humanitarian aid missions, such as the recent Mercy mission, have on changing perceptions about the U.S. William Winkenwerder, Jr., M.D., Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, U.S. Department of Defense, and Karen Hughes, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, U.S. Department of State, also participated in the event.

"Improving health and saving lives of people in need was the first priority for the U.S. Navy personnel, Project HOPE volunteers and others who participated in the recent USNS Mercy mission," said Dr. Howe. "However, the research tells another story. It appears we healed more than physical wounds during the mission."

Terror Free Tomorrow's Ballen reported that 85 percent of Indonesians who were aware of the Mercy mission had a favorable opinion. In Bangladesh, 95 percent were favorable of the mission.

"There is a remarkable consensus among the people of Indonesia and Bangladesh in favor of humanitarian aid missions like the Mercy," said Ballen. "The results included supporters of Bin Laden, people opposed to the U.S. war on terror and even those who favor suicide bombings. Regardless of their opinions, they all were favorable of the USNS Mercy mission."

In Bangladesh, 87 percent of the people surveyed said the activities of the Mercy made their opinion of the U.S. more favorable.

When asked what would make their opinion of the U.S. more favorable in the future, the people of Indonesia and Bangladesh said additional and expanded visits from the Mercy would be the second most influential action the U.S. could take. Number one was more educational scholarships.

The research also found that the people surveyed were more favorable to the aid being delivered through a U.S. Navy ship by margins of six to one in Indonesia and two to one in Bangladesh.

"It was extraordinarily important to us to send the Mercy back to the region, and I am proud of the impact that she, her crew, our partners and dedicated staff ended up having," said Admiral Mullen. "It goes to show that our people, our power, our principles are now, and will always be, a tremendous force for good."

The Mercy departed San Diego April 24, 2006 for a medical humanitarian deployment and returned on Sept. 29, 2006. During its deployment Navy medical personnel, Project HOPE volunteers and other volunteers from health-related non-governmental organizations provided care to nearly 61,000 patients both on board the ship and ashore. More than 1,000 surgeries were performed including major procedures such as hernia repairs, cleft lip and cleft palate repairs and orthopedic procedures.

Health services provided on the ship and on shore included more than 10,500 immunizations administered, approximately 14,900 optometry exams provided, 6,000 teeth extracted and 41,000 prescriptions filled. Volunteers also participated in conducting more than 6,000 training courses for their host nation counterparts. These courses included a variety of topics such as training in CPR to emergency obstetrics procedures.

For complete results of the Terror Free Tomorrow research visit http://www.terrorfreetomorrow.org/. For more information about Project HOPE, visit http://www.projecthope.org/.

About Project HOPE

Founded in 1958, Project HOPE (Health Opportunities for People Everywhere) is dedicated to providing lasting solutions to health problems, with the mission of helping people to help themselves. Identifiable to many by the SS HOPE, the world's first peacetime hospital ship, Project HOPE now conducts land-based medical training and health education programs across five continents.

About Terror Free Tomorrow

Terror Free Tomorrow is a non-partisan, not-for-profit established in Washington, D.C. dedicated to a new strategic vision: leading the fight against terror by winning the popular support that empowers global terrorists. Since 2005, Terror Free Tomorrow has conducted more than 17 nationwide public opinion surveys throughout the Muslim world, including the first survey in Indonesia after the tsunami, the first in Pakistan following the October 2005 earthquake and unprecedented surveys in Nigeria, Bangladesh, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan and elsewhere. Terror Free Tomorrow's surveys have been relied on by former Presidents Clinton and Bush, and the State Department, as well as extensively covered in the national and international media.

CONTACT: Rand Walton Project HOPE (540) 837-9469 rwalton@projecthope.org

Project HOPE

CONTACT: Rand Walton of Project HOPE, +1-540-837-9469,rwalton@projecthope.org

Web site: http://www.projecthope.org/

Source: PRNewswire

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