Chinese hospital ship Youhao completes visit to South China Sea islands.

According to information published by Global Times on October 10, 2022, the Youhao hospital ship of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy recently completed its first round of visits to islands and reefs of Xisha and Nansha in the South China Sea.
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Chinese Type 919 hospital ship Youhao. (Picture source: Loongnaval)

Having sailed for 18 days through nearly 4,000 nautical miles, the Youhao visited 13 islands and reefs of Xisha and Nansha, providing medical services to more than 5,000 people, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Monday.

This is the first time that the Youhao has embarked on such a mission since its commissioning in November 2020, CCTV said.

More than 40 experts in multiple medical fields including critical cases and psychology from the PLA Southern Theater Command Navy First Hospital traveled with the ship, with Xisha's and Nansha's special environments including high temperatures, high humidity and high salinity in mind, the report said.

The experts on the ship also shared their knowledge and experience with medical staff members stationed on the islands and reefs as well as other vessels in the region, as they analyzed the distribution of diseases and medical needs, and provided training programs, CCTV reported.

China has built hospitals on Yongshu, Zhubi and Meiji reefs, and the routine deployment of the Youhao marks an additional mobile medical force that will fill in the gaps of medical services in Nansha's waters, building a complete rescue chain in the region, the report said.

As a key complement to the local hospitals, the hospital ship can be equipped with more types of medical equipment, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and TV commentator.

About the Chinese Type 9191

Type 919 hospital ship is a type of hospital ship (AH) built in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) for the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). Type 919 hospital ship has received NATO reporting name Anshen class (meaning soothing the nerves). Two ships have been built by end of 2021.

Displaced more than four thousand tons when fully loaded, Type 919 hospital ship is designed to fill the gap between smaller Qiongsha-class ambulance transport (APH) and much larger Type 920 hospital ship (AH).

Type 919 hospital ship is equipped with more than a hundred hospital beds, internal medicine, ophthalmology, otorhinolaryngology, psychology and surgery departments, and can support three surgeries to be performed onboard simultaneously. In addition, the ship is also equipped with helipad.