THE Chinese Naval Hospital Ship ‘Peace Ark’ has conducted free humanitarian treatment to 4074 patients, 1280 auxiliary examinations, and 11 surgeries until Friday last week, the Mission Commander has stated.

The strategic support that initially started on Thursday last week after the ship docked at the Dar es Salaam port, intentionally aims to commemorate 60 years of Tanzania-China bilateral cooperation that will also engage the Tanzania People’s Defence Force (TPDF) and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (CPLA) to mark military friendship.

Ying Hongbo, Rear Admiral Peace Ark Mission Commander announced the achievement in the City, over the weekend during a short ceremony organized at the port to commemorate the achievements of engaging the Peace Ark and TPDF officials.

He said until Friday, last week, they received many local patients who visited the ship aiming to attain medical care from Chinese doctors.

“Tanzania being the second country in the 2024 Mission Harmony, a total of 4074 patients have received free humanitarian treatment, conducted 1280 auxiliary examinations and performed 11 surgeries until Friday last week,” he said.

More on that, the mission had also conducted and witnessed the birth of a healthy baby boy on Thursday, making it the first ‘Peace Ark’ baby among the three harmonious visits made in the country.

Su Qinfeng, the Ship’s Commander also noted among 11 operations, cataract extraction surgery emerged as the most attended case.

He added: “We are also happy that we managed to recover an 82-year-old man's vision in this mission.”

Chen Mingjian, Chinese ambassador to Tanzania said Military exchange and cooperation has always been a very important pillar of the overall relations between China and Tanzania for the past decades noting on the other hand that the military forces have been brothers and sisters enjoying a stable, close, and jovial relationship.

The envoy said China and Tanzania's cooperation is in a good status, especially after President Samia Suluhu Hassan's visit to China in 2022 where she met Chinese President Xi Jinping and the two leaders agreed to upgrade bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

The ambassador said during the visit to Tanzania in 2013, President Xi Jinping proposed the principle of sincerity, real results, amity, and good faith for China’s African policy and solemnly announced that China and Africa always stand together as a community with a shared future.

Naza Fadhili, a mother to a new Peace Ark baby who named her son Zakhir after birth, acknowledged the doctors who made sure that she had a safe delivery.

“I was initially admitted at Lugalo Military Hospital and contacted later by doctors that I was to be transferred to the Chinese Navy Hospital Ship for delivery; with all initiatives made, on Thursday at 12am I delivered my son, I am happy and thankful I had a safe delivery.”

Briefing journalists last week Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Albert Chalamila, said the strategic support was scheduled to start on July 18th and end on July 23rd this year.

He said the medical services will include preliminary diagnosis and medication treatment suggestions for common diseases, such as respiratory infections, gastrointestinal diseases, surgical injuries, and skin diseases, health guidance for chronic diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease medication adjustment, and lifestyle advice and Health consultations to help the local population understand their health status and provide lifestyle recommendations.

According to him, the Ark Peace medical officials will provide the services in support with TPDF, Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH), Tumbi Regional Referral Hospital (TRRH), Amana Regional Referral Hospital (ARRH), Mwananyamala Regional Referral Hospital (MRRH), Temeke Regional Referral Hospital (TRRH), and Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI).

The Chinese naval hospital ship Ark Peace consists of more than one hundred medical personnel. Since its commission, Ark Peace has carried out the Mission Harmony to provide medical service nine times (in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2022, and 2023), visited 46 countries and regions across three oceans and six continents, provided medical services to over 290,000 people, thus, it is reputed as the ‘Ship of Life’.