The U.S. Navy Mercy-class hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) will visit Trinidad and Tobago from August 5th-11th, mooring in Port of Spain. Trinidad and Tobago is the final stop on the U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet’s Continuing Promise 2025 mission.
Medical teams from the USNS Comfort will collaborate with the Ministry of Health and Trinidad and Tobago health care professionals to provide free adult medical services, pediatric medical services, dental care, optometry, physical therapy, and dermatology at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA), Frederick Street, Port of Spain, from August 7th-9th, between 8am and 4pm.
Services will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis; no pre-registration is required. National identification is not mandatory but may be helpful for dispensing medication. Doctors will address one medical issue per patient per visit, and patients must prioritize and decide which issue to address. Patients may re-enter the line after their consultation or return on subsequent days for additional treatment. Clinics will not review medical documents in advance, and patients should not send any documents to the U.S. Embassy.
Basic surgical care will also be provided onboard the ship for candidates pre-selected and screened by the Ministry of Health using existing patient waiting lists. Members of the public are advised that only those patients pre-selected by the Ministry of Health will receive treatment aboard the USNS Comfort. Members of the public seeking medical services will only be seen at NAPA.
The visit strengthens US-Trinidad and Tobago military-to-military cooperation through subject matter expert exchanges in health care collaboration, disaster preparedness and response, and law enforcement capacity building.
The U.S. Fleet Forces Band “Uncharted Waters,” as part of the USNS Comfort’s visit, will perform free public concerts at dates and times to be announced.
U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Dr. Jenifer Neidhart de Ortiz said, “The visit of the USNS Comfort underscores the benefits of the strong partnership between Trinidad and Tobago and the United States. We are sharing our very best—American excellence—with Trinidad and Tobago.”
Rear Adm. Carlos Sardiello, Commander of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet, said, “The USNS Comfort’s deployment under Continuing Promise demonstrates the U.S. Navy’s enduring commitment to our allies and partners across the Caribbean, and Central and South America. This mission will forge lasting partnerships and deliver impactful aid, leaving a legacy of goodwill throughout the region.”
Continuing Promise 2025 marks the 16th mission to the region since 2007 and the eighth aboard USNS Comfort. Previous visits to Trinidad and Tobago include USNS Burlington in 2023 and USNS Comfort in 2019. The ship deployed in June to the U.S. Southern Command area of operations, with stops in Grenada, Panama, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, and Costa Rica.