(New Year's news) Chinese foreign aid doctors spend the Lantern Festival overseas: the patient's smile is sweeter than glutinous rice balls

　　China News Agency, Chongqing, February 5th: Chinese foreign aid doctors spent the Lantern Festival overseas: the patient's smile is sweeter than glutinous rice balls

　　Author Liang Qinqing Yang Chang

　　After working all morning, Liu Hongbo, a member of the 12th batch of Chinese medical team to Papua New Guinea (hereinafter referred to as "Papua New Guinea"), returned to the station and ate hot glutinous rice balls.

This is the first time in his life to spend the Lantern Festival overseas.

　　The Chinese medical team to Papua New Guinea is the first Chinese medical team sent to the South Pacific region and has a history of 20 years.

In July 2022, the twelfth batch of team members set off from Chongqing to Porto Port General Hospital in the capital of Papua New Guinea to perform a one-year national health foreign aid mission.

　　In the early morning of February 5, a long queue had formed outside the TCM physiotherapy room of the hospital, waiting for diagnosis and treatment by TCM doctor Liu Hongbo.

Local medical staff are used to this scene.

　　Acupuncture, massage, cupping... In a non-air-conditioned consulting room, Liu Hongbo diagnosed and treated patients one by one under the high temperature of over 30°C.

At the same time of treatment, he actively taught the local doctors the techniques of traditional Chinese medicine, carefully guiding them until they mastered them.

　　There is no festive Chinese New Year atmosphere, nor is there a reunion with thousands of lights, but Liu Hongbo believes that this is the most meaningful Lantern Festival in his more than 30 years of life.

Being thousands of miles away from home, he has a different experience: "The little silver needle in his hand conveys the friendship between China and Papua New Guinea, and the smile on the patient's face is the best Lantern Festival gift, sweeter than glutinous rice balls."

　　"This is our first Lantern Festival in Papua New Guinea, and it is also the busiest Lantern Festival in my life. Although I have not been able to reunite with my family, it is of great significance." Zheng Kaiyuan is a nephrologist in the foreign aid medical team. After ward rounds and teaching work, he was busy discussing with local doctors the condition and surgical plan of the next patient who needed autologous arteriovenous fistulaplasty.

　　In Papua New Guinea, there are a large number of patients with chronic renal insufficiency caused by diabetes and kidney disease, and many patients need long-term hemodialysis.

Autologous arteriovenous fistula formation is delicate and complex, with high technical requirements, and the local doctors are not yet mature enough. Most patients use temporary hemodialysis access, which bears huge physical pain and financial burden.

　　After learning about the above situation, Zheng Kaiyuan immediately carried out autologous arteriovenous fistulaplasty in the local area, and introduced details such as incision and blood vessel selection in detail during the operation, and guided the completion of key steps such as vascular anastomosis, which not only improved the success rate of the operation, but also Reduced risk of postoperative complications.

　　Zheng Kaiyuan said: "Although this Lantern Festival does not see the excitement of gongs and drums, it is even more unique to be able to participate in foreign aid medical missions with teammates."

　　During the entire Spring Festival, Mu Haibo, an obstetrician and gynecologist of the foreign aid medical team, also organized the team members to cut window grilles, paste Spring Festival couplets, write blessing characters, and hold a "Spring Festival Gala" for the medical team... Let the team members feel the taste of the New Year together in a foreign country.

　　Chen Gang, the leader of the 12th batch of Chinese medical teams to Papua New Guinea, introduced that since 2002, China has sent 12 batches of 120 medical team members, with a total of 130,000 visits and nearly 9,000 surgeries. About 5,000 medical staff were trained in technical training and other methods, and the reputation of "seek medical team when you are sick" has been established in the local area.

　　Alone as a stranger in a foreign land, I miss my relatives every festive season.

Each steaming glutinous rice ball is not only a yearning for the motherland and relatives, but also an expectation for a better future.

After the meal, the Chinese foreign aid doctors put on their overalls again and entered the hospital.

(over)