Jiangxi Foreign Aid Medical Team Brings Health and Friendship to Africa Continuously for 50 Years | Medical | Medical Team

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the dispatch of medical teams from Jiangxi to aid foreign countries. Since the establishment of the first medical team in Jiangxi in 1973 to carry out foreign medical aid missions in Tunisia, the footsteps of Jiangxi medical team members have never been interrupted.

Under the careful leadership of the Jiangxi Provincial Party Committee and Government, and with the help and guidance of the National Health Commission, generation after generation of Jiangxi medical aid team members have fully carried forward the spirit of "fearless of hardship, willing to contribute, saving lives and helping the wounded, and loving the boundless". They have written a magnificent chapter of Jiangxi's medical aid in Africa with their lives and sweat, which has also been fully recognized by the country and foreign parties.

On June 28, the Jiangxi Provincial Health Commission said at the special press conference on the 50th anniversary of the Chinese foreign aid medical team that one medical team had won the highest honor in Tunisia - the National Medal of Honor, and three medical teams had won the highest honor in Chad - the National Knight Medal. Eight units and medical teams, and 27 team members were commended by the national advanced collective and exemplary individual in foreign aid medical work, and were warmly received by the party and state leaders. The Tunisian Ministry of Health, the Chadian Ministry of Health, the Chinese Embassy in Tunisia, and the Chinese Embassy in Chad have sent 10 letters to the People's Government of Jiangxi Province and the National Health Commission, thanking the Jiangxi Foreign Aid Medical Team for their effective work.

On November 1, 2019, the 23rd and 24th batches of Chinese medical teams assisting Tunisia took a group photo after the handover ceremony of the Chinese Embassy in Tunisia.

Persist in dispatching teams to serve the health of African people

In 1973, Jiangxi received a national mission and established its first medical team to carry out medical aid missions in Tunisia. In 1978, an additional medical team was sent to Chad to carry out medical aid missions. Over the past 50 years, a total of 45 batches of medical aid teams with 1468 medical members have been dispatched, providing clinical services to 7.8 million African people. The medical team's advanced medical services in obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedics, pediatrics, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, and other fields have filled nearly a hundred technological gaps in the local area.

On December 3, 2018, Yu Lamei, a member of the 23rd Chinese medical team to aid Tunisia, collaborated with local medical personnel to perform a cesarean section.

The local people trust and appreciate Chinese doctors, leaving behind countless beautiful stories. Due to gratitude to Yu Lamei, a member of the 23rd Chinese medical team to aid Tunisia, for rescuing three mothers and infants during a cesarean section, the girl was named "Lamia", which means "beauty" in the local language.

On June 7, 2019, Xiao Lamia took a group photo with Yu Lamei, a member of the 23rd Chinese medical team to aid Tunisia.

Teaching it to fish is not like teaching it to fish. While helping recipient countries improve their medical technology level, Jiangxi's foreign aid medical team is also dedicated to teaching and actively carrying out various clinical medical teaching, leaving behind a medical team that cannot be taken away. In Tunisia, the only Chinese acupuncture and moxibustion Center in Africa to carry out acupuncture and moxibustion French teaching and training classes has been established, training 180 local acupuncture and moxibustion doctors, and some students have opened TCM clinics in Tunisia.

Luo Xiaoping, Chief Physician of the Imaging Department of the First Hospital of Nanchang City, member of the 22nd batch of Chinese medical teams to aid Tunisia, and captain of the 25th batch of medical teams to aid Tunisia, donated anti epidemic medical equipment and materials to the recipient hospitals on behalf of the National Health Commission.

In Chad, the foreign aid medical team took the lead in establishing a China Chad pediatric cooperation mechanism, dispatching pediatric experts to work on a permanent basis, guiding local medical personnel, and gradually achieving the transformation from "blood transfusion" to "hematopoiesis". During the COVID-19, the medical team actively carried out more than 200 lectures on epidemic prevention and control, health education, etc., imparting Chinese experience in disease prevention and control, and helping the local government to do a good job in public health services.

In addition, the foreign aid medical team has vigorously carried out free medical services such as patrols and free consultations, and has traveled more than 500 times to remote rural and mountainous areas to deliver medicine and provide free medical services for more than 100000 people. With full enthusiasm and excellent skills, it has won the respect of local medical personnel and patients.

Luo Xiaoping and the team members were treated with acupuncture and moxibustion for periarthritis of shoulder under ultrasound.

At the same time, actively providing medical and health services to various people in Tunisia and Chad, showcasing the good image of medical personnel in Jiangxi, receiving praise from the African people, and being called "diplomats wearing white coats" and "ambassadors of friendship between China and Africa" by the local government, has made positive contributions to the overall diplomatic situation of the country and the human health community.

Persist in targeted cooperation and nurture the flower of friendship between China and Africa

Jiangxi Province has promoted and acted quickly at a high level, and promptly established a leadership group for the corresponding cooperation mechanism led by the main leaders of the Jiangxi Provincial Health Commission and responsible for the responsible leaders, to coordinate and promote the cooperation projects between China and Africa's corresponding hospitals.

At present, Jiangxi has four influential counterpart support and cooperation projects in Africa:

First, the construction project of China acupuncture and moxibustion Center of Martha Hospital. In 1994, it established the Marsa acupuncture and moxibustion Center, which was then called "the first in Africa, the first in the Arab world and the first in developing countries" by the Ministry of Health of Tunisia. In 2014, it was officially listed and renamed as the China acupuncture and moxibustion Center. The center integrates teaching, medical treatment and scientific research, and is the only acupuncture and moxibustion center in Africa that carries out acupuncture and moxibustion French teaching and training classes.

The second is the pediatric construction project of China Chad Friendship Hospital. Donating 2 million pediatric medical equipment, dispatching 2 pediatric experts to work in Chad, promoting 5 new technologies, and helping hospitals establish various rules and regulations, becoming the first province in China to carry out targeted cooperation work.

The third is to establish Chad's first pathology department. Change the situation where Chadian patients travel to other countries for pathological examinations. At present, it is still the only department in the country capable of conducting pathological diagnosis, pioneering the history of Chad.

The fourth is the construction project of the Zhongzha Ophthalmology Center. Since 2017, the Zhongzha Ophthalmology Center has delivered light to over 30000 Chadian patients, filling 9 gaps in Chadian ophthalmology technology. The three "Bright Walk" activities carried out allowed 835 patients to see light again. The Minister of Public Health of Chad stated, "The ophthalmic center assisted by the Chinese government is Chad's first ophthalmic center, bringing light and hope to the Chadian people, and is a new symbol of China Chad friendship."

At present, the 27th batch of medical teams assisting Tunisia and the 18th batch of medical teams assisting Chad are carrying out missions in Jiangxi, with a total of 52 members. They are working hard to overcome difficulties in work and life in distant Africa, and are telling Chinese stories and fulfilling China's responsibilities with the kindness, superb medical skills, great love, and selfless dedication of doctors.

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