THE Chinese Naval Hospital Ship ‘Ark Peace’ tomorrow starts providing free humanitarian medical service in Dar es Salaam, authorities have confirmed.

Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Albert Chalamila unveiled this yesterday when speaking at the ceremony to welcome the ‘Peace Ark’ that docked at the Dar es Salaam Port.

RC Chalamila said strategic support is scheduled to start on July 18th and ends on July 23rd, this year.

The free medical services are part of commemorating 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 their military friendship.

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 RC also said that on July 18th free medical services will be at Lugalo Military Hospital (LMH) and Kunduchi Hospital, on 19th at Amana, and Bunju Hospital, July 20th at MRRH, TRRH, and the treatments will proceed on 21 as informed later.

According to him,  the 2022 census Dar es Salaam census is estimated to be 5.3 million people, hence urging citizens to utilise the opportunity effectively

Chen Mingjian, Chinese ambassador to Tanzania said Military exchange and cooperation have 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.

“Dar es Salaam is notably known as a peaceful land hence it is the visit of the Peace Ark’ to a Peaceful land,” she underlined.

Mej Gen Amri Mwami, TPDF Chief of Medical Services, who represented Chief of Defence Forces General Jacob Mkunda, said the Peace Ark arrival is the rewarding and enriching significance of the two countries as it portrays the tremendous values initiated by the late Julius Nyerere and Mao Zedong.

He further noted that the army forces will celebrate 60 years of cooperation between the Tanzanian TPDF and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army to mark the tremendous achievements.

R.ADM Ying Hongbo, Peace Ark Mission  Commander said the two countries have cemented unwavering support of each other on issues of common interests at bilateral and international levels. Diplomatic relations have contributed to major achievements, he said.

“May this friendship between Tanzania and China last forever,” he said.