China
Medical Team in The Gambia, consisting of doctors majoring in general surgery,
internal medicine, orthopedics, radiology, pediatrics, critical medicine,
traditional Chinese medicine, obstetrics, and anesthesiology, over the weekend conducted
a free medical testing for SOS orphans.
The
team is sent by the Chinese Government and now working in the Edward Francis
Small Teaching Hospital(EFSTH), Banjul with the aim to strengthen the
friendship between the peoples of China and those of The Gambia.
According
to the testimonies of many Gambians, the team is doing a tremendous job in
providing high quality medical services for Gambians. The free medical testing
was attended by all the 10 members of the China Medical Team.
The
medical team also donated about 50,000 dalasis worth of medical instruments and
daily necessities for SOS Children village.
The
free medical test includes blood pressure measurements and electrocardiograms.
The team also gave out some gallons of oil, bags of rice, footballs, bags,
bottles and books.
Apart
from their daily hospital work and the cooperative projects with their
friendship hospital in Banjul, the team provide outreach medical services to
benefit more common Gambian people. In addition, they also help to train the
local medical human resources so as to build a lasting medical team in The
Gambia.
While
delivering his keynote speech at the FOCAC Beijing Summit in September 2018,
President Xi Jinping said health care initiative was proposed as one of eight
major initiatives in collaboration with Africa.
Therefore,
in order to carry out this initiative, it was required that the China medical
teams shall do better to meet the needs of the African people. Bearing this in
mind, the China Medical Team has widened the range of bilateral health
cooperation and makes more contribution to enhancing the health and well-being
of the people in The Gambia.
Last
month, the medical team conducted a two day free medical treatment for patients
at the Bansang Hospital in the Central River Region which attracted patients
from Upper River Region and some parts of the Senegalese southern region of
Casamace.
Dr.
Liang Songnian, a Radiologist who spoke to The Point after the exercise said
the purpose of the event was to check on the well-being of the children as the
future leaders of the country.
“Orphans
need more love and that is why we chose SOS as the biggest children’s village
and offer them with such kind of gesture. The children are the hope of the
country and if they get more help Gambia would be more helpful, he said, adding
that the gesture will also promote the relationship between Gambia and China.”
The
Alternative Care Coordinator of the SOS Village, Haddy Touray, said: “We are
delighted with the offer from the China Medical Team which would add value to
what we do annually.”
“We
do conduct medical check-ups for the children in order to know some of the
issues affecting them. But I can tell you that the gesture from the medical
team will go a long way towards complementing our efforts in our quest to
provide quality care for the children.”
She
said SOS can’t provide all the required materials that are needed and called on
other institutions and philanthropists, and individuals to emulate the China
Medical Team in supporting the children who she described as ‘the leaders of
tomorrow.’
Prof.
Tong Yanlong underscored the significance of the gesture, adding that
supporting the government to provide quality health services delivery for
Gambians is among their top priorities. Such kind of gesture, he added, will
also strengthen the already existing relationship between Gambia and China,
while expressing that they will continue supporting the country’s health
sector.
