Chinese hospital ship Ji Xiang Fang Zhou arrives in Senegal for medical mission

The Chinese naval hospital ship Ji Xiang Fang Zhou, also known as the ‘Ark of Good Omen’, arrived at the Port of Dakar on Friday, September 25, 2026. The visit marks the first time a Chinese naval hospital ship has docked in Senegal, serving as a gesture of military and diplomatic cooperation between the two nations.

As part of the mission, the vessel is conducting a medical campaign providing free consultations and healthcare services to local populations. The medical program is scheduled to run from September 25 through September 30, 2026, with the final day of services limited to the morning hours.

To ensure an organized process, the medical services are not open to spontaneous walk-ins. Instead, patients have been pre-selected and identified by the Senegalese Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene and the Directorate of Army Health Services. The mission aims to strengthen sanitary and military ties between the Senegalese Armed Forces and the People's Liberation Army Navy.