THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 30, 1996 TAG: 9606300104
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 44 lines
A ``flying hospital'' owned by religious broadcaster Pat Robertson's relief group Operation Blessing took off Saturday for its first mission, to El Salvador.
The specially equipped, $25 million plane carried doctors and medical support staff from 26 states. The plane will remain in El Salvador for a week.
``This sendoff is historic,'' Robertson said. ``This outreach will provide hope and healing to thousands of people around the globe.''
Future missions are planned to Panama, the Ukraine, Asia and the Philippines.
The L1011 wide-body jet has a sleeping section for up to 67 people, an operating theater with three tables, two dental chairs, a laboratory and pharmacy, and a storage area for tons of supplies and equipment.
The team of surgeons, ophthalmologists, orthopedic surgeons, plastic surgeons, dentists and nurses will provide free medical care on the flying hospital, at Santa Teresa Hospital in Zacatecaluca and in a temporary clinic set up adjacent to the hospital.
A variety of maladies, including glaucoma, cataracts, club feet and cleft palate, will be treated.
``The advantage of the flying hospital is that we can offer a certain level of care that we otherwise would not be able to offer because we can control the plane's sterility, its cleanliness, its pre- and post-op care and provide the most up-to-date medical equipment to give the best possible benefit to the patient,'' said Dr. Paul Williams, chief medical officer for Operation Blessing.
Robertson came up with the idea for the flying hospital three years ago. The plane was purchased and equipped through private donations and corporate gifts, and it was christened by former President George Bush in May. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
GARY C. KNAPP
Pat Robertson, right, laughs with Gov. George F. Allen on Saturday,
after a tour of Operation Blessing's flying hospital, a jet equipped
with medical facilities for international relief missions.
KEYWORDS: OPERATION BLESSING by CNB