Chinese naval hospital ship Peace Ark arrives at the Honiara Port in Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands on Aug. 19, 2023. (Xinhua/Gui Jiangbo)
Prime minister of Solomon Islands Manasseh Sogavare visited the Chinese naval hospital ship "Peace Ark" and expressed appreciation to the Chinese government and people for the goodwill medical visit.
HONIARA, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- Prime minister of Solomon Islands Manasseh Sogavare visited the Chinese naval hospital ship "Peace Ark" here on Sunday, hailing the medical services that the ship provided to the South Pacific nation.
The ship, setting sail from east China's Zhejiang Province on July 3, docked on Aug. 19 at Solomon Islands' capital city Honiara, the fourth stop of its Mission Harmony 2023 to five Pacific Island countries.
According to a press release from the prime minister's press secretariat, Sogavare visited multiple operating rooms and nursing stations on board, expressing the Solomon Islands government's appreciation to the Chinese government and people for the goodwill visit.
People in traditional costumes perform dance to welcome the Chinese naval hospital ship Peace Ark at the Honiara Port in Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands on Aug. 19, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Yu)
Sogavare said the ship's name "Peace" is what the world needs today, and the goodwill medical visit is a sure way of achieving peace, as the boat saves lives and promotes borderless peace.
This is the first Solomon Islands visit of the "Peace Ark," which is scheduled to stay in the country for seven days to provide medical services and impart health knowledge to local communities.
There are 26 clinical departments and seven auxiliary diagnosis departments on the ship for disease diagnosis and treatment.
Several medical teams will also be sent to the National Referral Hospital and local communities to conduct medical services. ■
