Dili, 10 September 2023 (TATOLI)-The Chinese naval hospital ship “Peace Ark” provided medical service to around 10,000 Timorese patients in Dili, Cabinet Director of Policy, Planning and Corporation, Narciso Fernandes has said.
The Beijing floating hospital arrived in the port of Dili on sunday and hundreds of Timorese began visiting the “Peace Ark” to receive special treatment from Chinese doctors on the very first day to seek treatment for their illnesses.
The ship has been in Dili for one week and many local communities visit the ship to receive special treatment from Chinese doctors.
“The number of patients receiving the medical treatment was over 10,000 patients, including the patients in Liquiça Municipality and Atauro Municipality,” said Fernandes in Dili Port on Sunday.
Fernandes said, the ship also provide surgery to patients with different type of disease such as acute appendicitis and small survey for eyes, ears, and others.
“Of the total number, 6.371 patients had received medical examination in Dili including 50 patients who have undergone surgery. The team also provided medical treatment to 300 local community in Liquiça Municipality and 500 patients in Atauro Municipality,” he said.
After one week of concluding its medical service, the Chinese Peace Ark then left Timor-Leste on september 10, 2023.
On the final day of its mission, Timor-Leste’s Prime Minister, Xanana Gusmão expressed his gratitude to the Chinese Naval Soldiers team from Chinese Peace Ark that provided the medical treatment to 10,946 Timorese patients with different types of disease.
Prime Minister’s appreciation was conveyed at the Dili Port on Sunday, before the Peace Ark Ship departed back to China.
“My great appreciation for Chinese Naval teams for providing the Health treatment to Timorese Timorese Patients during one week in Dili,” Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão said during the meeting with the Naval Peace Art Team, In Dili port, this Sunday.
Chinese Peace Ark arrived in the port of Dili on sunday and received a warm welcome from the President of the Republic, José Ramos Horta, the Minister of Health, Amaral, and the Major General of the Timor-Leste National Defense Forces (F-FDTL), Falur Rate Laek.
The ship visits Timor-Leste after its trip to Solomon Island on 26 August.
The hospital ship has 126 medical staffers and boasts 26 clinical departments and 7 auxiliary departments. It is capable of carrying out more than 40 kinds of examinations, treatments, and operations in general surgery, orthopedics, obstetrics and gynecology, and other disciplines.
Since it entered into service in 2008, the hospital ship has visited 43 countries and regions, provided medical services for more than 250,000 patients, and performed more than 1,500 surgeries on voyages covering over 260,000 nautical miles
“Well equipped with a magnetically guided capsule endoscope, an intravenous anesthesia robot, a new type of portable endoscope, and other sophisticated medical apparatuses, the Peace Ark enabled medical staff to diagnose and treat complicated diseases on board,” Xinhua reported.
The visit to Timor-Leste would be the last country of the ship’s Harmonious Mission 2023. The other four countries are Kiribati, Tonga, Vanuatu, and the Solomon Islands.
Related News: https://en.tatoli.tl/2023/09/06/peace-ark-is-the-best-hospital-ship-to-provide-free-health-services/07/
Journalist: José Belarmino De Sá
Editor: Nelia Borges
