Did you have the opportunity to watch first-hand or on TV, the USNS Comfort steaming up the Hudson River?
That massive three football fields long white behemoth festooned with the Red Cross emblem sailing up the Hudson. Coming to the aid of New Yorkers?
That sight roiled my emotions. The USNS Mercy, when departing San Diego for Los Angeles, had a similar effect. Observing military and civilian men and women leaving their homes and families to care for others was a tear-filled moment. Military and civilian health service personnel on land and sea coming together to fight the silent killer, COVID-19 is a momentous event.
It is hard to imagine a floating hospital but envision one that can navigate the seven seas. The United States has two of these 1.000 bed floating hospitals. These ships also have 12 operating rooms. They are manned by approximately 63 civilians, 956 naval hospital staff, and 258 naval support staff. These are Americans dedicated to fighting the Coronavirus.
Interestingly, these ships will be treating non-Coronavirus patients transferred from overloaded hospitals. Pray to God that none of these patients brings the Coronavirus with them. If that should happen, these ships are configured to isolate and treat those that are infected.
The USNS Mercy is currently anchored in Los Angeles and the USNS Comfort in New York City. These medical ships are equipped with laboratories, radiological units, pharmacies, optometry labs, and dental facilities.
Helicopter decks come in handy when transporting patients. When there are large groups of patients being transferred, this can be accomplished at sea between ships and also dockside, utilizing side ports or doors.
WHAT ABOUT THE REST OF THE WORLD?
Eight different countries’ militaries have hospital ships. China has six floating hospitals, either designed to treat their wounded at sea. India, Indonesia, and Peru each have one ship equipped to process large numbers of injured and sick personnel. Russia has three vessels.
Indeed, you have heard about the Mercy Ships. This non-governmental organization operates the MV Africa Mercy. It offers free medical care and health education.
Spain’s Esperanza del Mar and the Juan de la Cosa are that country’s Ministry of Employment and Social Security’s focus on providing tor the nation’s far-flung industrial fishing fleet.
BUT IT WASN’T ALWAYS THAT WAY
Speculation has it that the ancient Greek ship Therapia and the Roman vessel Aesculapius served as hospital ships. Not a lot is known about these ships and how they were deployed. Not much in the way of floating hospitals is evident for the next two thousand years.
The 17th-century British navy evacuated wounded personnel from English Tangier. Later ‘Lazarettos,’ worn out battleships, were moored in inlets feeding into the River Thames. These ships were utilized to quarantine those suspected of carrying infectious diseases.
During the 1800s, the British navy transformed at least five ships to serve the medical needs of it soldiers and sailors. Toward the end of the 19th century, English women, aristocrats, came together. With their leader, Lady Randolph, Winston Churchill’s mother, they sponsored and manned a hospital ship to serve the injured men during the Boer War in South Africa.
World War I & World War II saw many ships utilized in almost every combat theatre. Converted passenger liners played a significant role in ramping up the numbers. The sister ship of the Titanic, the SS Britannic, was converted to a hospital ship in WWI. The SS Queen Mary was converted during WWII.
Hats off to the military and private organizations that make these humanitarian assets available to the sick and injured.