After sailing nearly 10,000 miles, the Chinese hospital ship Peace Ark has arrived in Djibouti.
The stop in the northeast African country is part of a humanitarian program called "Harmonious Mission 2017," aimed at providing free medical services for people in less developed countries.
The stopover in Djibouti is scheduled to last until early next month.
Since their arrival on Wednesday, the Chinese medical staff have been treating thousands of local people of all ages.
Solomon Adsedha suffers from kidney stones. He is full of praise for the Chinese doctors.
"I have taken medicine and an examination of my kidney here. I got the result and gave it to the doctor. I have kidney stones. I will undergo an ultrasound examination. It's very nice. Hope they can come again and again."
With a total area of 4,000 square meters, the 180-meter-long hospital ship has eight operating rooms, seven health care offices, and 300 beds, allowing a total of 115 health care workers to offer services at the same time on board.
This is not the first time the Peace Ark has been involved in a "Harmonious Mission."
Between 2010 and 2015, the vessel visited 29 countries and regions in Asia, Africa, the Americas and Oceania, providing free on-board medical and humanitarian services to 120,000 people.
This is also the ship's second trip to Djibouti in seven years.
On this occasion, the Chinese medical experts are making time to work with the staff at a local hospital.
Doctor Zhang Zhiyong is back in the country 7 years after his last mission.
He well understands how much they are needed here.
"The patients have waited a long time here since morning. We started work at round 8:00 am, while they had been here even two hours earlier. Our local colleagues have high expectations of us. During our first visit here, they told us they needed as many specialists as possible to work together with them every single day until we leave."
There are also Chinese medical teams being sent to remote areas.
Villager Yusuf expresses his excitement after getting advice from a Chinese doctor.
"It's the first time. They will stay here for two days. It's a very good hospital team."
The Peace Ark ship arrived in Djibouti after a stop in Sri Lanka.
It will also make port calls in countries including Sierra Leone, Gabon and Congo as part of the current mission.
