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By Prashanth Parameswaran
An Indonesian hospital ship pays a week-long visit to Timor-Leste.
Indonesia has deployed a multipurpose hospital ship on its first ever overseas voyage.
The Indonesian navy (Tentera Nasional Indonesia – Angkatan Laut, or TNI-AL) deployed the multipurpose hospital ship KRI Dr Soeharso (990) on a week-long medical care mission to neighboring Timor-Leste over the weekend. Indonesia’s Eastern Fleet (KOARMATIM) Command spokesman Lt. Col. Maman Sulaeman said in a press statement that the trip was the first overseas mission carried out by the vessel.
“This health mission is the first carried out by KRI SHS-990 abroad in cooperation with the ministry of defense,” he said.
The ship arrived in the port of Dili on January 29 and will complete its mission on February 4. The ship, which has a crew of a few hundred medical mission personnel from all three branches of the Indonesian armed forces, is equipped a helicopter, five operation rooms, six polyclinics, and 51 specialists ready to serve more than 2,000 patients. The ship is prepared to provide a range of medical services including cataract removal and dental treatment.
Read the full story at The Diplomat