Chinese and Vanuatu military doctors perform a rare giant thyroid tumor resection for a local patient onboard the Chinese naval hospital ship Peace Ark in Port Vila, Vanuatu, August 10, 2023. /Xinhua
Kaut Estella, a 31-year-old mother of three children, lives in Port Vila, the capital of the South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu.
Back in 2019, Estella discovered a small lump on the left side of her neck. Due to the restricted availability of local medical resources, the lump gradually increased in size and eventually reached the dimensions of an apple.
On August 9, 2023, Estella sought medical attention for her lump from Chinese naval doctors aboard the Peace Ark, a floating medical facility operated by the People's Liberation Army Navy. The examination showed that the giant tumor on her neck had grown to approximately 10 cm in diameter.
The results of a CT scan further revealed that the tumor had severely compressed her trachea and caused displacement. This condition posed a serious threat, potentially leading to breathing difficulties and suffocation if not addressed promptly through surgical intervention.
Doctors aboard the hospital ship timely determined the operation plan for Estella after consultation. On August 10, Estella went on the surgery.
The surgery lasted over an hour, during which a tumor mass measuring 10.5cm in diameter and weighing about 500g was successfully removed. Estella is currently in the process of recovering and is making positive progress after the surgery.
The local patient Kaut Estella who suffered rare giant thyroid tumor takes a photo with her husband before the surgery on the Chinese naval hospital ship Peace Ark in Port Vila, Vanuatu, August 10, 2023. /Xinhua
The surgery was jointly performed by the Chinese and Vanuatu military doctors aboard the hospital ship docking in Port Vila during a mission dubbed "Harmony Mission 2023," which aims to provide medical aid to overseas residents.
"I spent six years studying at the PLA Naval Medical University in China, and I consider myself very fortunate to have the opportunity to conduct surgeries for patients in my own country alongside medical experts from China," said John, who is a military doctor from the Vanuatu Mobile Force and played an assisting role to the lead surgeon during Estella's operation.
Medical care via a hospital ship
The Peace Ark is a Chinese naval hospital ship staffed with Chinese doctors and nurses. It serves as a fully-equipped mobile clinic, and it is China's first hospital ship with a displacement exceeding 10,000 metric tonnes. Within its confines, it houses an array of 16 departments, eight operating rooms, and over 300 beds.
Since its commission in 2008, Peace Ark has sailed to more than 40 countries and carried out dozens of humanitarian missions.
On August 8, local time, the Peace Ark made its entrance to Vanuatu. Throughout its stay, the hospital ship will engage in various activities, including interactions, professional seminars, and offering medical aid to personnel from overseas institutions as well as local residents.
"We will carry out medical services here utilizing both docked and anchored positions in accordance with berthing conditions," said Liu Xuejun, deputy commander of the Mission Harmony-2023. "This approach entails transferring patients to the main platform via ship-based landing crafts for diagnostic and medical purposes."
In addition to the hospital ship, medical teams have been dispatched to visit local hospitals, villages, and communities, providing medical services and educational and health awareness, according to Liu.
China has provided medical assistance to Vanuatu for 30 years, and has sent 25 batches of more than 220 medical personnel to work in Vanuatu.
"We hope our service will contribute to the further understanding between peoples of the two countries, and promote the friendship between China and Vanuatu," Liu said.
Local people and overseas Chinese queue up at the port for medical treatment during the Chinese naval hospital ship Peace Ark's visit in Nuku'alofa, Tonga, August 1, 2023. /Xinhua
Increasing care for local families
The Peace Ark is currently engaged in a seven-day humanitarian medical mission in Vanuatu, scheduled to depart for the Solomon Islands on August 15.
As of August 12, medical staffs have treated 707 young patients across nations including Kiribati, Tonga, and Vanuatu, bringing renewed hope to over 700 families.
In anticipation of the mission, the medical team took proactive measures to enhance care for children from these nations. They prepared items like building blocks, paintbrushes, candies, and biscuits to engage the young patients, alleviate their apprehensions, and facilitate communication.
During their time in Vanuatu, there were many children who came to see the doctor, some with mild colds, some with skin inflammation, but more with serious diseases such as congenital defects, sudden emergencies and resistant tumors.
Throughout our provision of pediatric diagnostic and treatment services, we strive to address even the most challenging medical conditions we encounter," Zhou Lin, a pediatrician on the hospital ship told the China Media Group.
"For conditions requiring extended treatment periods, we develop personalized diagnosis and treatment plans in consideration of the child's unique circumstances and in consultation with their families," she said.