As dark clouds gloom across the skies of Kingston, bringing brief showers and a reminder of the recently passed Hurricane Melissa, the Chinese naval hospital vessel Silk Road Ark made its berth at the Port Royal Pier, carrying hope for those needing special medical attention.

Waiting for just over an hour for the ship’s arrival, a large group of Chino-Jamaicans and Chinese who have made Jamaica their home held both Jamaican and the People’s Republic of China’s flags along with a “Welcome” sign to greet the vessel. 

Joining the group were media practitioners and a delegation of central and local government officials, including Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Affairs Senator Kamina Johnson Smith. Leader of the Opposition Mark Golding, spokesperson on health and Member of Parliament for St Catherine Southern Dr Alfread Dawes and Mayor of Kingston Andrew Swaby were also part of the welcome party.

The Silk Road Ark’s arrival in Kingston, its third stop in Jamaica, forms part of a 12-day mission in response to a request from the Government following the passage of Hurricane Melissa on October 28. It’s a multi-port deployment with stops in Montego and Falmouth, the first for the Chinese Navy’s “Harmony Mission” series and represents its longest continuous medical service in any country.

The vessel’s arrival in Montego Bay on December 4 marks the second visit by a Chinese naval hospital ship to Jamaica, following the Peace Ark in 2011. 

Upon the ship’s berth around 10:30 am, China’s Ambassador to Jamaica Wang Jinfeng and personnel from the diplomatic mission led a government and media personnel on a tour of the ship, making stops in various sections.

With over 300 beds, the medical ship will bolster the local health sector’s capacity to undertake numerous surgeries such as hernia, cataract and several outpatient services. However, Jamaican nationals can only benefit from the referrals from parish medical authorities.

“The best way to have access is [through] your parish heads or health centres, where you initiate that [request],” Dr Tufton shared in an interview following the tour.

He explained that, given that the mission is a collaboration between local medical personnel and those on Silk Road Ark, medical files will need to be shared before any medical procedure can take place.

When asked how procedures are prioritised, he noted that this is “based on the short-term nature of the visit” and so day surgeries and some overnight cases will be treated, such as cataract and hernia. Emergency and life-threatening conditions are treated with the local hospital network.