By Raymond Ken-Mbata
The Federal Government has welcomed a proposed medical outreach by China’s Navy hospital ship, Ark of Peace, scheduled to take place in Lagos from November 10 to 17, 2026, as part of efforts to strengthen bilateral relations and improve access to healthcare services.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, expressed appreciation to the Chinese government and other stakeholders for facilitating the mission, describing it as an opportunity to deepen health cooperation and promote professional exchanges between Nigerian and Chinese medical personnel.
Professor Pate said the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s commitment to improving healthcare delivery at primary, secondary and tertiary levels. He added that he would brief President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the development, expressing hope that the engagement would create opportunities for knowledge sharing and stronger health systems.
Presenting details of the proposed mission, the representative of the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Senior Colonel Ouyang Haisheng, said the hospital ship would provide medical services to Nigerians while encouraging collaboration between healthcare professionals from both countries.
According to Haisheng, the vessel is a fully equipped floating hospital with eight operating theatres and more than 100 doctors and other medical personnel. It is expected to attend to about 600 or more patients daily during the main service period, subject to operational arrangements.
The proposed services include medical consultations, physical examinations, laboratory investigations, diagnostic imaging, surgical procedures and cataract treatment under the Brightness Initiative. The medical team also plans to demonstrate traditional Chinese medicine techniques, including acupuncture, moxibustion and scraping therapy, while exploring opportunities for joint clinical activities with Nigerian professionals.
Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, described the mission as a high-priority government-to-government initiative, assuring the Federal Government of the state’s readiness to coordinate the exercise. He disclosed that a multidisciplinary committee had been established, with relevant stakeholders, including the Nigerian Navy, security agencies and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, involved in preparations.
Abayomi explained that the seven-day outreach would combine onshore medical services at selected general hospitals around the Lagos Marina axis with referrals of patients requiring advanced specialist attention to the hospital ship. He also proposed extending the exercise to underserved riverine communities and promoting professional exchanges between Nigerian and Chinese medical specialists.
To ensure patient safety and regulatory compliance, the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, Professor Fatima Kyari, said the council had verified the professional status of participating doctors and completed their licensing. She explained that temporary registration had been restricted to specified locations and periods of service.
The Nigerian Navy also pledged to provide adequate security for the exercise. Representing the Chief of Naval Staff, Surgeon Commodore Momoh Jimoh Salihu, welcomed the initiative and assured stakeholders of the Navy’s support.
Beyond providing medical care, the proposed mission is expected to include visits by mobile medical teams to selected communities and institutions, such as schools, orphanages, homes for older persons and disability centres. Plans also include health education, cultural activities and professional engagements with Nigerian hospitals and universities.
The Chinese representative said China’s overseas medical missions began in 2010 and had provided healthcare services to hundreds of thousands of patients in different countries. He expressed optimism that the planned visit would strengthen Nigeria-China relations and create opportunities for sustained collaboration in healthcare delivery.
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