Military medical team heads to Laos

China's military has sent a 90-personnel medical team to provide free services to people in Laos, the Defense Ministry said on Friday.

The team's first division departed via train this morning, according to China National Radio. Their mission will last from July 25 to August 8 as part of the "Train of Peace---2017" project.

The team consists of 60 staff from the People's Liberation Army Third Military Medical University and 30 from the Kunming General Hospital in Chengdu province, according to CNR. All members of the team are experienced health workers who have participated in several major relief missions, such as in the wake of earthquakes in Wenchuan and Nepal.

The members have expertise in 20 fields including respiratory, gastroenterology, urology and ophthalmology.

The team will bring tent hospitals and various medical and sanitation equipment to provide free services, from examination to surgery, in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, and the Luang Namtha province in northern Laos.

The Chinese medical team will also meet with their counterparts in Laos. After the mission ends, the returning team will stop at Pu Er and Yu Xi in Yunnan province to help locals there.