A MEDICAL relief ship preparing to bring dental and eye care to thousands of disadvantaged Papua New Guineans has docked in Cairns.
Local Lions club have been collecting eye glasses for the ship as part of the goal to provide more than 30,000 free health services to people in PNG over six weeks.
The crew from Youth with a Mission has toured Australia for six months and will have one more port of call at Thursday Island before embarking on August 2 on its mission to the Gulf Province of PNG.
Deputy Mayor Margaret Cochrane will today tour the ship, which will be docked in Cairns until Sunday, and donate spectacles.
"These young people are on assignment with the intention of providing healthcare services in PNG on a volunteer basis and this is an admirable aim," Cr Cochrane said.
Students from Babinda State School, Djarragun College and Peace Lutheran College will also tour the ship.
A team of Australian doctors will join the 37m Pacific Link, which will have up to 50 volunteer crew and several nurses and a dentist, when it arrives in PNG.
