Hospital ship facts for kids

A Hospital ship is a special kind of boat built to help and cure sick or injured people. Think of it as a floating hospital! Most hospital ships are used by armed forces or governments. They travel to places where people need medical help, especially after disasters or during conflicts.

What is a Hospital Ship?

A hospital ship is like a large, floating medical center. It has many rooms for patients, operating theaters for surgery, and places for doctors and nurses to work. These ships are designed to provide medical care on the water. They can reach areas that are hard to get to by land.

Who Uses Hospital Ships?

Most hospital ships are owned and operated by a country's military or government. For example, the United States Navy has hospital ships like the USNS Comfort. These ships often help during humanitarian missions. They also support military operations by caring for injured service members.

Rules for Hospital Ships in War

Hospital ships are very special during wartime. They are protected by international laws, like the Geneva Conventions. This means that attacking a hospital ship is a serious war crime. To be protected, hospital ships must follow strict rules:

• They cannot carry any weapons.
• They must be clearly marked with a red cross or red crescent symbol on a white background. This shows everyone they are medical vessels.
• They must only be used for medical purposes. They cannot be used to spy or carry soldiers.
• Enemy navies are allowed to inspect them. This makes sure the ship is following all the rules.

These rules help keep medical workers and patients safe during conflicts.

History of Hospital Ships

Hospital ships have been used for a long time. People realized early on that it was important to treat injured soldiers and sailors.

• In the 17th century, during the 1680s, hospital ships helped evacuate people from the port of Tangier.
• During World War I, many large passenger ships were turned into hospital ships. Famous ships like the RMS Mauretania and HMHS Aquitania served as floating hospitals. The HMHS Britannic, a sister ship to the Titanic, also became a hospital ship.

Modern Hospital Ships

Today, hospital ships continue to play a vital role. Some are still part of navies, like the USNS Comfort. Others are operated by non-government organizations (NGOs). For example, the Africa Mercy is a hospital ship run by a charity called Mercy Ships. These ships bring free medical care to people in developing countries. They perform surgeries and train local medical staff.

Images for kids

• 

  United States Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort in 2009.

• 

  Tangier circa 1670. Hospital ships were used during the evacuation of the port in the 1680s.

• 

  RMS Mauretania as hospital ship HMHS Mauretania during World War I.

• 

  HMHS Aquitania in World War I service as a hospital ship.

• 

  Britannic (youngest sister of Titanic and Olympic) after conversion to a hospital ship during World War I.

• 

  Non-government hospital ship MV Africa Mercy

• 

  USS Abraham Lincoln, a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier

• 

  USS Bataan, a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship

• 

  Dixmude, a Mistral-class amphibious assault ship

See also

In Spanish: Barco hospital para niños