China’s Peace Ark hospital ship brings free medical services to Tanzanians

Dar es Salaam. At least 3,000 Tanzanians are set to benefit from the arrival of China’s Peace Ark hospital ship, which docked at the port of Dar es Salaam on July 16 and is set to stay until July 23, 2024.

The ship, which arrived at the port at 10 am, offers a golden opportunity for Tanzanians to receive free medical services from over 100 healthcare specialists from the Chinese Liberation Army, in collaboration with the Tanzania People’s Defence Forces (TPDF).

According to the TPDF, this initiative is part of the celebrations marking 60 years of diplomatic relations between Tanzania and China, as well as the 60th anniversary of the TPDF, scheduled for September 1 this year.

TPDF’s chief of Medical Services, Major General, Amri Mwami, said that starting Thursday, July 18, the Peace Ark will begin providing a range of medical services free of charge until July 23, 2024.

“Tanzanians will have the opportunity to receive services including minor surgeries, dental care, and treatment for gynaecological issues, ear, nose, and throat conditions, urinary diseases, cardiac care, and burns treatment, among others,” he noted.

The medical services will be delivered through a collaboration between health specialists from TPDF and the Chinese military.

Major General Mwami emphasised the significance of these services,

“This initiative is set to attend up to 600 outpatients per day and visit our needy orphanage centres in Kigamboni,” he noted.

“They will also visit our public hospitals—Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH), Amana, Mwananyamala, and Lugalo—to provide medical services to our outpatients and inpatients while exchanging experiences with their Tanzanian colleagues,” he said.

The Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania, Ms Chen Mingjian, highlighted the Peace Ark’s mission.

“The Peace Ark has so far visited 46 countries and regions, providing medical services to over 290,000 people, explicitly demonstrating China’s foreign policy in promoting peace and economic development,” she said.

“Tanzania occupies a very special place in the mission history of the Peace Ark. It is one of the five countries visited by the Peace Ark in its inaugural mission in 2010 after its commission in 2008. This is the third visit of the Peace Ark to Tanzania,” she noted.

“Tanzania is the only African country that has been visited by the Peace Ark three times,” she added, emphasising the strong ties between the two nations.

Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner, Mr Albert Chalamila, urged residents to take advantage of this opportunity to check their health within the days that the Peace Ark will be docked in the commercial city.

“There will be a team of specialist doctors who will provide specialised services at MNH and Mbagala. On July 18, they will be at Lugalo and Kunduchi hospitals; on July 19, they will be at Amana and Bunju hospitals; on July 20, it will be the turn of Mwananyamala and Temeke hospitals; and on July 21, the treatments will continue at the port,” he explained the schedule.

“This service being provided is very appropriate and important. According to the 2022 census, Dar es Salaam is estimated to have over 5.3 million people. Therefore, the presence of this ship here is not a mistake, and neither TPDF nor the Chinese Army have made a mistake,” he said.

He urged all residents of Dar es Salaam to come out in large numbers according to this schedule so they can receive these treatments, which are being offered as a symbol of the great cooperation between Tanzania and China.

The Peace Ark, commissioned in December 2008, is a 178-metre-long vessel designed and built by China.

It boasts extensive medical facilities, including CT scanners, ultrasound equipment, and a range of specialised medical devices, totaling 2,030 sets across 250 types.

Having conducted humanitarian missions in 46 countries and regions, benefiting over 290,000 people, the Peace Ark’s visit to Tanzania reinforces the strong ties between the two nations and highlights the importance of health diplomacy.