Mass Communication Specialist 2r Local children recently help USNS Comfort crew members pick up trash at an El Salvadorian schoolhouse.

‘‘What a wonderful honor it is to be a witness of the beginning of the work of the personnel on board hospital ship USNS Comfort,” said Robert Blau, the U.S. Charge` d’Affairs in El Salvador. ‘‘These people have done great things as part of this mission in five other countries before coming here. Up to this date, the medical personnel have provided services to more than 45,000 people in the countries they have visited.”

As part of Comfort’s four month humanitarian and civic assistance mission, the ship’s crew will work hand-in-hand with partner and host nation personnel to offer a variety of services to the people of El Salvador.

Comfort’s crew and participating personnel will offer a variety of medical, dental, veterinary and engineering services to the people here, said Dr. Maria Isabel Rodriguez, the minister of health for El Salvador.

‘‘This mission is very important for the city because it will help reduce the waiting times associated with receiving these kinds of services,” she added.

The medical staff onboard Comfort consists of approximately 20 surgeons, 75 nurses, 13 dentists and more than 50 physicians according to Navy Capt. James J. Ware, commanding officer of the hospital onboard Comfort. The ship will also offer 250 patient beds, five operating rooms, X-ray machines, CT scanners, a pharmacy, dental suites, and physical therapy among other services.

Comfort is scheduled to be in El Salvador until July 2 and will then continue to Nicaragua.

‘‘I believe that this mission is a great example of all that can be done when you have cooperation at the international level,” said Rodriguez. ‘‘It’s a mission that unites the cities and towns and benefits those with great medical need.”

Among the medical personnel onboard Comfort, roughly 200 are from the National Naval Medical Center.