The Peace Ark, China's state-of-the-art hospital ship, has dropped anchor off the coast of Tacloban City, the worst-hit by super typhoon Haiyan (local name Yolanda) in the Philippines.
Most of the typhoon victims, especially those who suffered injuries saw the arrival of the Peace Ark as a sign of hope that they would be able to get back to their lives again following the killer typhoon that has so far claimed the lives of at least 6,000 individuals.
Since its arrival in Tacloban City, the Chinese hospital ship has already treated hundreds of patients who sustained major injuries that remained untreated for weeks and those who suffered other illnesses.
"We are so thankful to China for sending the Peace Ark. This vessel is a huge boost because this is even bigger than our regional hospital and it also comes with experienced doctors and medical personnel from China," said Leyte Congressman Ferdinand Romualdez.
The Peace Ark is one of China's biggest, most modern, and state-of-the-art floating hospitals. It now joins a fleet of international vessels carrying medicines, relief goods, and rescue personnel in Tacloban.
The hospital ship is a 300-bed floating hospital with 100 doctors and medical equipment and facilities, including CT scan room, digital X-ray laboratory, a blood bank, oxygen generation room, pharmacy, among others.
Chinese doctors and medical staff onboard the Peace Ark are not only treating patients inside the ship but are also joining other foreign doctors at the Remedios Trinidad Romualdez Hospital in Tacloban City to treat patients admitted in the said hospital.
At least five patients who needed serious medical attention were airlifted from the local hospital to the Peace Ark. Among them was Flora Anadi, 44, who was operated inside the Chinese hospital ship for knee fracture.
The death toll from typhoon Haiyan has soared to 5,560, said the Philippine's National Disaster council.