By Su Zhihong and Tan Longlong

The photo shows Djibouti military and political officials, along with relevant personnel of the Chinese embassy in Djibouti and the PLA Support Base, congratulate a cataract patient on resuming her normal sight. (Photo by Qiu Haohan)

DJIBOUTI, December 6 (ChinaMil) -- The "Bright Eyes Operation", a special medical service operation, co-hosted by the Support Base of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) in Djibouti and the Djibouti Ministry of Health, was kicked off on Thursday.

Djibouti military and political officials, along with relevant personnel of the Chinese embassy in Djibouti and the PLA Support Base, attended the opening ceremony in the Chinese barracks.

The 25-day event, running from December 1st to 25th, 2019, will provide free surgical treatment for about 100 cataract patients in Djibouti. The operation mainly relies on the medical members of the Support Base’s hospital and the Djibouti Peltier Hospital, together with 10 medical personnel selected from the hospital assigned to the Chinese PLA Navy’s Military Medical University.

Before the opening ceremony, the PLA Support Base’s hospital had initially completed patient diagnosis and screening, and successfully performed 6 surgeries. The remaining patients will be treated at the Djibouti Peltier Hospital.

After the opening ceremony, officials from Djibouti and Chinese sides came to visit the patients at the PLA Support Base’s hospital who had undergone early surgery, and unveiled the gauze for them to congratulate them on resuming normal sight.

"I am 66 years old, and I have been troubled by the disease for six years. I can finally recover my sight today, and I am very grateful to the Chinese doctors and nurses." Mohamed Ali Ahmed, the first patient in recovering said.  

It is known that since its opening on August 1st, 2017, the PLA Djibouti Support Base has been actively providing real help to the local people by participating in such activities as public welfare scholarships, medical assistance, emergency rescue and disaster relief.

Senior Colonel Li Chunpeng, political commissar of the PLA Djibouti Support Base, said: "The ‘Bright Eyes Operation’ is a humanitarian relief activity, which will help to improve the level of local medical services and also promote the development of friendly bilateral military relations. In the future, China will further strengthen the bilateral friendly ties and deepen exchanges and cooperation in more fields. "