By Lamin Cham
The 5th batch of Chinese Medical Team delegated by the Chinese government, has arrived in The Gambia to carry out its mission of medical assistance for the period of one year.
Led by Dr Sun Jiaxing, the team comprises nine doctors and an interpreter.
The doctors are specialists in obstetrics, general surgery, ultrasonic, anesthesia, genecology among others.
Receiving the team at the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, Dr Ammar Aljafari, the chief medical director congratulated the Chinese team and welcomed them to the hospital where they will be working.
He said the Chinese medical team has a strong and cordial relation with the EFSTH through an MoU which dates back to many years ago.
”Over the years they have rendered tremendous support in terms of quality work, practical training and millions of dalasis worth of equipment to the hospital,” he said.
Ammar further pledged that the EFSTH will give them all the necessary support in their daily work to improve the quality of health care and saving of lives. “Now we can do laparoscopic surgery in the Gambia which helps a lot to save mother and child lives thanks to the Chinese team”, Dr Ammar said.
Dr Abdoulei Keita, head of genealogy at the EFSTH, who was trained in China said the Gambia has benefited a lot from China in the area of health service especially in the transfer of knowledge through practical trainings in various fields of medical services.
Dr Sun Jiaxing on behalf of his team expressed delight for the opportunity to continue good work and cooperation between the Gambia and China in the field of health care. He said he looks forward to a cordial relation with the EFSTH over the course of the next 12 months.
He said China has a long history of providing aid to other countries in need including The Gambia, where over the course of time, five medical aid teamx and one short period anti-coronavirus team and a medical group of ophthalmology totalling 70 members served in addition to providing much needed equipment.
“Under the coordination of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of The Gambia, all the members of the medical team will adhere to the belief of willingness and dedication to saving lives and showing great love with practical actions, as well as contribute to medical cooperation between China and The Gambia,” Dr Sun Jiaxing said.
This 5th batch he said has prepared not only to do its best to treat local patients but to improve local medical condition with donation. “We will also share our medical skills with the Gambian doctors. As part of the belt and road initiative with Africa, the Chinese medical team will carry forward the spirit of sacrifice and dedication,” he said.
Finally, Dr Sun expressed appreciation for the support and understanding of the Health Ministry of the Gambia and Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital in their work.
“The fifth Chinese Medical Team is willing to make contributions to medical cooperation between China and The Gambia and strengthen the friendship between our two countries,” he concluded. The full team comprises the following:
Dr Sun Jiaxing, an ultrasonographer, associate professor, PhD from Shenjing Hospital affliated to China Medical University;
Dr Li Yang, Associate Professor, PhD, an internal medicine physician;
Wang Guang, Attending Physician, PhD and general surgeon:
Li Wei, Associate Chief Physician, PhD; obstetric and gynecology physician from Shenjing Hospital;
Yuan Hongmou, Associate Chief Physician and an orthopedist.
Zhu Yu, Attending Physician, Master of Medicine
a physician of ICU from Liaoning Province People’s Hospital;
Mu Huaixin, pediatrician from Shenyang Children’s Hospital, Attending Physician, Master of Medicine;
Luan Guangyi, doctor of Traditional Chinese medicine from the First Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Gao Peng, an anesthesiologist.
