TACLOBAN, December 2 -- The "Peace Ark" hospital ship of the Navy of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLAN), which arrived in Philippines to carry out rescue operations, has accepted 877 wounded people for treatment, assisted the examination of 642 people/times, performed surgeries for 25 people, exterminated insects over an area of 10,000-plus square meters, and disinfected an area of 3,150 square meters by 17:00 on December 1.

Since its arrival in Tacloban city in Leyte province of Philippines, the "Peace Ark" hospital ship has used the forward hospital as the pivot and the hospital ship as the major platform, and integrated forward medical detachments and medical visits, as well as ship-borne medical helicopter transfer and the sick and the wounded evacuation through commuting boats, and so on, to provide medical services for disaster-victimized people in Philippines.

Meanwhile, the hospital ship also sent personnel to attend the epidemic prevention work conference held jointly by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Department of Health of Philippines, carried out infectious disease monitoring, disinfection and insect extermination, water quality testing and other work in key areas, and dispatched medical detachments to schools, churches and victims' houses in the affected area to carry out infectious disease monitoring, epidemic prevention, disinfection, and health education.

Dana Van Alphen, WHO disaster rescue regional advisor and her party totaling 9 people visited the "Peace Ark" hospital ship and the forward hospital set up on the ruins of the Leyte provincial hospital, where she conducted exchanges with medical personnel and those local patients receiving treatment there. Dana Van Alphen expressed positive recognition of the humanitarian medical assistance that the "Peace Ark" hospital ship of the PLAN provides in Philippines.

Dana Van Alphen said that the "Peace Ark" hospital ship has exceptional medical conditions and plays an extremely important role in this rescue operation. The medical ship's humanitarian medical rescue and assistance activities have produced good social responses. The medical personnel's sincerity, patience and detailed medical services have lighted up people's new hope in the disaster-hit area.