By Foday Moriba Conteh
The In-Charge of Africa Affairs Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry, Wu Peng. has on Friday 7th April, 2023 visited the Sierra Leone China Friendship Hospital at Jui. The In-Charge of Africa Affairs Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister, who was accompanied by the Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Wang Qing, was received at the facility by the Team Leader of the 24th batch of Chinese Medical Team, Dr. Chen Yongjun, and the Medical Superintendent Sierra Leone China Friendship Hospital, Dr. Sarah Conteh, team members of the 24th batch of Chinese Medical Team, Management and Staff of the hospital.
Speaking during the ceremony, the In-Charge of Africa Affairs Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry, Wu Peng, said that the country recently received the 24th batch of Chinese Medical Team to Sierra Leone of which he said they still need some time to familiarize themselves with the environment.
He said that Sierra Leone and China has a very cordial relationship when he was the former Ambassador to Sierra Leone of which he regarded Freetown as his second home town, adding that he informed the leadership of the support to the Chinese doctors at the facility to better fulfill their duties in the country.
Wu Peng maintained that he is very much aware of the challenges they are facing ranging from equipment, the living condition and the rest of which he promised to work on those challenges, adding that China is very committed to keep supporting the Chinese-Sierra Leone Friendship, both financially and morally, but said at the same time he also suggested to the leadership of the hospital to coordinate how they can mobilize funds towards the development of the hospital.
The Team Leader of the 24th batch of Chinese Medical Team, Dr. Chen Yongjun, commended the move by the In-Charge of Africa Affairs Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry, Wu Peng, for visiting the facility which he said was constructed during his tenure as the Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone.
He added that years down the line he deemed it fit to come back and visit the facility in order to look at the what can be done to improve the facility, stating that during the visit the In-Charge of Africa Affairs, the Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry, Wu Peng had the opportunity to tour the facility in order to have first hand information on how much has been done to improve the facility.
Dr. Chen Yongjun said that the 24th batch of Chinese Medical Team will continue to do their best in order to support the local patients at the facility. He also used the opportunity to highlight some of the challenges of which he said that the equipment in the facility needs some improvement and that the Management of the hospital should also make some efforts to improve the income of the facility which he said will contribute towards the development of the hospital. The Team Lead also assured of China’s support towards the development of the hospital.
The Medical Superintendent of the Sierra Leone-China Friendship Hospital, Dr. Sarah Conteh, stated that the hospital has a lot of potentials, which she said they can tap into when they work together. She said they have also noticed that most of the patients accessing the facility are road accident patients and they if they can treat them they will in return act as ambassadors for the hospital.
Dr. Sarah Conteh stated that the hospital needs renovation of which she appealed to the In-Charge of Africa Affairs Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry, Wu Peng to consider supporting the hospital in its renovation of the facility.
She also pointed out that the hospital at the moment is constrained with human resource owing to the fact that the hospital doesn’t have enough doctors, stating that if the hospital can be renovated and improve its equipment then they can be able to see more patients which will give them the advantage to recommend to the Ministry of Health and Sanitation to support the hospital with more doctors.
The Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Wang Qing, also commended the In-Charge of Africa Affairs Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry, Wu Peng for the visit.
