The Chinese hospital ship, Peace Ark, docked in Cape Town on Thursday morning, greeted by a vivid display of waving flags, music and a dancing dragon alongside military dignitaries and members of the South African Chinese community reports Cape {town} Etc.
Also read: Chinese hospital ship Peace Ark heads to Cape Town for aid mission
Speaking at the vessel’s arrival, South African Military Health Service (SAMHS) Brigadier General Kwena Mabotja said SAMHS specialists and Western Cape Department of Health specialists would be joining the Chinese specialists on board the vessel.
‘So it’s a multi-national, multi-agency exercise,’ said Mabotja.
The purpose of the visit is to ‘see how we can best work together to address issues of disaster and so forth’, explains Mabotja, who dubbed it a sort of ‘dry-run’.
There will also be outreach visits to several areas in Cape Town.
Looking for a deal on a car, but tight on a budget? Have a look at these offers for under R100 000. View the deals here.
Mabotja also added that ‘Mission Harmony’ hopes to strengthen military and diplomatic ties and allow for skills transfer between the two countries, in addition to addressing ‘the backlog of health issues in both the military and civilian environment’.
According to Western Cape Department of Health’s chief of operations Dr Saadiq Kariem, the province faces a backlog of around over 80 000 different types of surgeries, such as cataract operations.
‘What’s important is the partnership and the cooperation that we’ve had. We’ve got the Chinese medical team that will join our medical teams at two of our larger hospitals, and they will participate in surgeries at those hospitals,’ said Kariem.
‘And then we will have some of the homeless people, people living on the streets in Cape Town, who will be provided with primary health care services on board the ship.’
Wellness services, such as acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, on board the ship will also be opened up to the department’s staff.
In an earlier statement, it was noted that, including its rescue helicopter on board, the hospital vessel is equipped with more than 100 medical personnel and a 600 to 700 outpatient treating capacity.
Peace Ark is designed to treat, care and evacuate casualties at sea during wartime, as well as to provide medical services to citizens on China’s islands and reefs. It also provides humanitarian assistance in response to disasters, reports News24.
The hospital ship will be docked at Victoria and Alfred Basins (sheltered mooring area), berth jetty 2 until Thursday, 29 August.
Cape {town} Etc discount: Looking for things to do in the city at half the price? Let these amazing offers inspire you. Get them here.
Also read:
Update: Fifth body recovered from yacht wreck, confirmed death toll now six