The Chinese hospital ship Silk Road Ark, with a crew of more than 400 doctors, nurses, and support staff, arrived at the port of Corinto, Nicaragua, to provide free medical care and share experiences with Nicaraguan medical professionals.
Nicaragua is the first country in the hemisphere to receive a visit from the Silk Road Ark hospital ship, as a symbol of solidarity from the People’s Republic of China.
“We recognize the friendship, solidarity, cooperation, and respect that the People’s Republic of China shows toward the peoples of the world and, in this case, toward our blessed Nicaragua,” declared Rosario Murillo, Co-President of the Republic, upon announcing the arrival of the Silk Road Ark.
This ship is part of “Mission Harmony 2025,” China’s humanitarian initiative to provide free medical care and strengthen international ties. To date, it has visited Fiji and Tonga, providing 3,330 consultations and performing 426 surgeries in Fiji, and treating more than 5,000 people in Tonga.
The Silk Road Ark is the newest transoceanic hospital ship, designed and built by China, capable of performing more than 60 types of medical procedures and treating 300 patients simultaneously. The ship has 14 clinical departments and seven auxiliary diagnostic units. An onboard helicopter enhances its emergency medical rescue capabilities.
Nicaragua First Country in Hemisphere to Receive Chinese Hospital Ship https://t.co/OhQnwteytU
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While the Silk Road Ark was docked in the port of Corinto, Nicaragua, Chinese doctors collaborated with Nicaraguan specialists to treat 1,125 patients from the Chinandega area.
The international teams treated patients requiring specialized medical support, from pediatrics to gynecology, obstetrics to internal medicine, and orthopedics to urology. The team also performed ultrasounds, surgeries, and provided traditional Chinese medicine treatments.
In addition, specialists from China and Nicaragua met to share experiences on topics such as robotic surgery, chronic kidney disease, congenital heart disease, maternal and fetal health, and breast cancer.
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At the inaugural ceremony, the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Nicaragua, Qu Yuhui, expressed his hope that this Peace Ship would serve as a vehicle for deepening the friendship between the two countries and fostering a spirit of peace and cooperation that will be passed down from generation to generation in future relations between China and Nicaragua.