APS Helps Local Sierra Leone Hospitals

Photo By Chief Petty Officer Jason Morris | Seaman Recruit Jacob Thacker, a U.S. Navy Seabee embarked aboard the Africa Partnership Station platform HNLMS Johan de Witt, works alongside hospital staff to fix the Bai Bureh Memorial Community Hospital's roof during a community relations project here, Oct. 15. More than 30 Dutch Royal Marines and Sailors from the Dutch amphibious ship HNLMS Johan De Witt, along with five U.S. Navy Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3 who are embarked on the ship, went to work in Lungi in order to make repairs at the hospital. After the projects were fixed, the team also instructed the hospital staff on proper maintenance and emergency repair procedures to allow the staff to be able to deal with any problems in the future. Johan De Witt, a Royal Dutch Naval vessel, is the first European-led APS platform and is augmented by staff from Belgium, Portugal and the United States. APS, originally a U.S. Navy initiative, is now an international effort aimed at improving maritime safety and security for the continent of Africa through training and other collaborative activities with African partner countries.  

LUNGI, SIERRA LEONE

10.16.2009

Story by Chief Petty Officer Jason Morris 

U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet

LUNGI, Sierra Leone -- Africa Partnership Station construction personnel made repairs at the Bai Bureh Memorial Community Hospital here, Oct. 15.

This event is just one in a series of ongoing humanitarian efforts by the APS platform HNLMS Johan de Witt during the first European-led APS deployment.

Five Seabees and more than 30 Royal Dutch Navy Sailors and Marines went to work in Lungi to fix the hospital's roof, generator and electrical systems and install plumbing. The team also trained the hospital staff on proper maintenance and emergency repair procedures to deal with similar problems in the future. Additionally, the ship's crew presented more than 100 boxes full of school supplies and toys that were donated by Dutch school children to students at the Eslembe Mayal elementary school.

"We were invited here today by the hospital's doctor in order to make as many repairs to the facility as possible in the short time we have in Sierra Leone," said Chief Petty Officer Dirk Wehking. "The ship volunteers really put forth a great effort and we were able to accomplish quite a bit."

APS Johan de Witt is also delivering medical equipment, furniture, vehicles and relief supplies; including medical beds, toys, plumbing, construction equipment and vehicles.

The donations will be divided between three hospitals here in Sierra Leone; Bai Burch Hospital in Lungi, Tunguma Hospital, and the government hospital in Port Loko.

"The donations today will make a huge impact for the hospitals in Sierra Leone," said Ruurd Van Rooijen, a retired Dutch Navy captain and general manager of the Magbenteh Community Hospital. "We are very grateful for the donations as they will directly benefit the people of Sierra Leone."

APS focuses on building cooperative partnerships with regional maritime services in order to achieve common international goals such as stability and security. APS brings an international team of maritime experts including elements from Belgium, Portugal, the Netherlands and the United States to offer assistance in addressing maritime safety and security challenges such as unlawful, unregulated and illegal fishing, piracy and illicit trafficking.

The APS Johan de Witt deployment began in September and will run through November. Port visits will include stops in Cape Verde, Ghana, Liberia, Senegal and Sierra Leone and has nearly 50 African naval personnel onboard receiving training in maritime law enforcement.

Johan de Witt, a landing platform dock amphibious ship homeported in Den Helder, Netherlands, is the first non-U.S. ship to execute an APS deployment. APS, originally a U.S. Navy-led initiative, is an international effort aimed at improving maritime safety and security for the continent of Africa through training and other collaborative activities with African partner countries.

• Date Taken: 10.16.2009
• Date Posted: 10.16.2009 09:22
• Story ID: 40208
• Location: LUNGI, SL