Doctors Bridging Borders

　　Before Chinese medical teams were sentto Africa, to most Africans, China was a remotecountry that they had barely heardof. But through seeing and being treated by Chinesedoctors Africans began to learn about Chinaand its people.

　　The current friendship between China and Africais based in part on Chinese medical aid to thecontinent, which has been in place for 50 years. Inthe winter of 1962, the Chinese Ministry of Health(the predecessor of the National Health and FamilyPlanning Commission) received a request fromthe Algerian Government through its embassy inBeijing, asking that Chinese medical professionalsbe sent to Algeria to help with local medicalservice development and education.

　　After Algeria’s independence from Frenchcolonial rule, the French medical personnel thathad staffed the country’s hospitals and clinics leftAlgeria. At that time, the People’s Republic of Chinawas still young, struggling with poverty and otherdevelopmental problems. But despite the challenges,the Chinese Government made an announcementin January, 1963: Chinese medical teamswould go to Algeria on long-term assignments.

　　Three months later, the first medical team setoff after taking short training courses on medicaltechniques and foreign language skills. For mostof the medical professionals involved, this wasthe first time that they had left their country towork. Excited and nervous, they said goodbyeto their families and embarked on a journey thatwould give them a completely new working experience.What was initially intended to be a half-yearstay was extended three times to last a total of twoand a half years. During their time in Africa, themedical team provided services to almost 400,000patients, conducted 3,000 surgeries and deliveredover 1,000 babies. There were no incidents ofmedical malpractice.

　　“There are 25 foreign medical teams workingin Algeria,but you are the most welcomed,” saidthe then Minister of Public Health of Algeria to theChinese medical team. “You are our trustworthybrothers.”

　　Building trust

　　Knowing little about China, many Africans at firsthad doubts about Chinese doctors’ skills. So ChenHaifeng, a leader of the first medical team sent toAlgeria in 1963, told his team members, “Kindnessand willingness to help alone cannot establish ushere. We must be useful and offer concrete helpas well.”

　　When Pan Jiangangarrived in Ghana at theend of 2011, he faced thesame problem. “You mustshow them the effort thatyou make as a Chinesedoctor. A small detail alonecan change a patient’s impressionof us,” said Pan.

　　He persuaded afemalepatient, who first insistedthat she would only beseen by Ghanaian doctors,to finally give him a chance. She told himthat her incisions from an earlier surgery had nothealed in the three months since the operation.Pan soon had a diagnosis: the woman sufferedfrom diabetes, and this was keeping her fromhealing. He managed to get her blood-sugar levelsunder control.

　　The woman was also astonished by the factthat Pan personally changed her dressing, atask that, in Ghana, is typically only performedby nurses. Pan was the first doctor who was willingto treat her in this way. When the woman wascured four weeks later, she gave Pan a Bible as gift,saying that she thanked God for letting her meeta kind Chinese doctor. “I don’t know much aboutChristianity or the Bible, but I will always cherishit,” said Pan.

　　Once misunderstandings were ironed out,Africans put a great deal of trust in Chinese doctors.“When they got a disease, no matter what itwas, they would come to us for help,” recalled XuZhenggang, a retired doctor who specializedin gastroenterology, about his experience inGuinea in the 1960s.

　　“We could feel their pain and anxiety, andthis pushed us to learn more,” said Xu. “Asa result, we all effectively became generalpractitioners and worked to treatmany different kinds of diseases.”

　　According to Xu, many youngparents named their newborns Chinois(the French word for “Chinese”) toexpress their gratitude.

　　Chinese treatment

　　“I don’t think we are obligated to dosomething really great,” said Pan. “Our main task isto communicate with local doctors and teachthem our medical theories and techniques.”

　　When Wang Dengqi, a doctor from GuangxiUniversity of Chinese Medicine, arrived in Nigerin 1976, he brought his background in traditionalChinese acupuncture treatment with him. His firstpatient was a farmer who couldn’t believe that silverneedles were able to treat his illness. But whenthe needles eased the pain that had plagued himfor over five years, the farmer could not wait toshare his incredible story with others. Soon after,more and more patients came to try acupuncturetreatment.

　　“I have treated as many as 140 patients on mybusiest days,” said Wang. “My patients rangedfrom presidential counselors to commonpeople.”

　　Given the effectiveness of acupuncture,Niger’s Ministry of Public Health askedif Chinese doctors could provide a courseon acupuncture treatment to localdoctors. After six months, 20 doctorsand nurses graduated from the trainingcourse. Armed with basic acupunctureskills, they began to treat their people byusing Chinese techniques.

　　“Needles are medical tools,but theycan also build ties of friendship,” saidWang.

　　By Zheng Yang