By Nii Martey M. Botchway
Tema, Oct. 28, GNA â Nearly 5,000 Ghanaians have received free medical services from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy hospital ship, 868 Auspicious Ark, docked at the Tema Port.
As of 1615 hours on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, a total of 4,855 people had received medical attention, including dental care, dermatology, cardiovascular services, orthopaedics, physiotherapy, and Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) treatment, among others.
Of the total number, 54.84 per cent were males, while females accounted for the remaining 45.16 per cent.
The medical team had also performed about 40 surgical procedures since the ship arrived in Ghana on Friday, October 23, 2026.
Giving a breakdown of the figures, Professor Li Lu Jia, Team Lead, said 534 people had received dental care, 176 dermatological treatment, 216 cardiovascular care, 961 optometry services and 182 treatment for urinary tract infections.
Another 1,009 people had received orthopaedic and physiotherapy services, while 423 had accessed general medical consultations.
The remaining cases comprised 232 maternal care services, 164 paediatric consultations, 220 ENT cases, 168 lung-related cases and 248 digestive-related cases. A further 327 people had undergone comprehensive medical checks.
Professor Jia said that, in addition to the surgical procedures, the medical team had conducted 443 Computed Tomography (CT) scans, 656 ultrasound scans, 185 X-rays and 125 Electrocardiograms (ECGs).
When the Ghana News Agency (GNA) interacted with some beneficiaries, they expressed appreciation for the intervention, describing it as timely and beneficial.
One beneficiary, Ms Matilda Osei, who sought treatment for general body pains, said the care and treatment she received were encouraging.
Mr Frimpong Manso, who accompanied his wife for medical assessment, said he had been given assurances that she could regain her sight following a surgical procedure.
âThis alone gives me hope, and I wish the ship would stay a little longer for others to come here too,â he said.
The medical team is expected to continue attending to patients until Thursday evening. The ship departs for Togo on Friday, October 30, 2026.
The Auspicious Ark
The Auspicious Ark is in Ghana as part of its maiden international voyage, providing humanitarian medical services while promoting medical exchanges and military cooperation between Ghana and China.
The 14,300-tonne Type 920 hospital ship is equipped with over 100 beds, 8 operating theatres, intensive care units, and can accommodate more than 30 major surgeries per day. It is designed for offshore medical support, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and international medical cooperation.
The ship’s current West Africa tour forms part of China’s military diplomacy and Belt and Road Initiative health outreach.
GNA
Nii Martey M. Botchway
[email protected]
Edited by Samuel Osei-Frempong