BEIJING, Oct. 10 -- Recently, the PLA Navy (PLAN) hospital ship Youhao (Hull 862) docked at Zhanjiang Port, Guangdong Province, after completing the first medical tour on the Xisha and Nansha islands and reefs in South China Sea.
Forty experts from the First Naval Hospital of the PLA Southern Theater Command had accomplished a medical tour on 13 islands and reefs of Xisha and Nansha islands in 18 days, with a voyage of nearly 4,000 nautical miles. They had provided medical services to more than 5,000 people, with more than 60 operations of various types made.
The medical team conducted physical examinations for the troops stationed on every island and reef they arrived. “The arrival of the hospital ship helps a lot to the troops on islands and reefs,” said Petty Officer First Class Liang Guodong, a soldier assigned to the PLA Nansha Garrison who stationed on the Dongmen Reef.
At the same time, the medical team also carried out in-depth research on common diseases occurring on islands and reefs, while carrying out the medical tour missions. They used big data to analyze the distribution of common diseases on islands and reefs, as well as the demand for diagnosis and treatment in need, and reviewed other health needs of these troops.
Commander Wang Jiwu, Political Commissar of the hospital ship Youhao, said that the ship would carry out regular service activities on the islands and reefs in the South China Sea for the military personnel, civilians, fishermen and passing commercial ships therein.
It is learnt that the PLAN hospital ship Youhao was commissioned in the PLA Southern Theater Command in November 2020. It has filled the gap of maritime medical service in the waters off the Nansha Islands, following the building of hospitals on Yongshu Reef, Zhubi Reef and Meiji Reef.
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