Defence and Military Veterans welcomes military health exercise between South African National Defence Force Military Health Service and Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy Hospital Ship Peace Ark 866
23 August 2024
The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Ms Angie Motshekga, has welcomed the humanitarian relief medical exercise that will take place between the South African National Defence Force and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army. The Chinese Naval ship Daisho Dao known as Peace Ark will conduct humanitarian and medical exercise with the South African Military Health Service (SAMHS) in Cape Town from 22 – 28 August 2024.
The exercise will focus on rendering free medical support to the local population in the areas and strengthen diplomacy between the two militaries. The medical exercise will allow the population to access health services provided by the military personnel of the SAMHS and the Chinese medical personnel on board the ship.
The Minister said “The exercise provides an opportunity for both country’s military health services to share their service unique military health support expertise enhancing interoperability between South Africa and the Chinese militaries. This will have a positive impact on future humanitarian medical relief exercises”.
The exercise will also improve medical skills transfers between the two militaries and provide opportunities for sharing experiential knowledge in joint medical consultation, medical technologies, skills and other related activities in the medical field. Furthermore, it will enhance the diplomatic relations between South Africa and the People’s Republic of China.
The vessel is a fully equipped medical vessel with clinical and medical professionals providing medical screening, oral health and eye care to name but a few. The SAMHS will collaborate with the Western Cape Department of Health in implementing health programmes provided by the joint exercise.
Issued by Siphiwe Dlamini on behalf of Department of Defence and Military Veterans, 23 August 2024
