By Alvin Lansana Kargbo
The Chinese Embassy in Sierra Leone on Thursday, March 6, 2026, hosted a joint farewell and welcome ceremony for the 26th and 27th batches of the Chinese Medical Team at its premises on Spur Loop, Wilberforce in Freetown. The ceremony marked the transition of China’s long-standing medical assistance mission in Sierra Leone, a programme that continues to deliver clinical services, specialist care, medical training and health system support through the Sierra Leone–China Friendship Hospital in Jui.
Speaking during the ceremony, the Captain of the outgoing 26th Chinese Medical Team, Dr. Liu Longfei, reflected on the team’s mission, describing it as a period defined by strong collaboration with Sierra Leonean medical professionals and dedicated service to communities across the country.
According to Dr. Liu Longfei, the team provided medical services to approximately 35,000 patients during their deployment, including about 15,000 consultations in traditional Chinese medicine. He further disclosed that the team successfully carried out 1,015 surgical procedures and responded to more than 100 emergency and critical care cases.
Dr. Liu Longfei also highlighted the team’s community outreach initiatives, noting that medical personnel visited schools, workplaces and various communities to promote public health awareness. Through those engagements, the team organized 36 public health activities that reached more than 10,000 people across different parts of the country.
In addition to providing clinical services, Dr. Liu Longfei explained that strengthening local medical capacity remained a central priority for the 26th Chinese Medical Team. He said the team conducted 36 public health education sessions and organized 50 professional training programmes that equipped more than 1,000 local health workers with practical skills in first aid and traditional Chinese medicine techniques.
Working closely with local partners, Dr. Liu Longfei added that the team also introduced several new clinical practices at the Sierra Leone–China Friendship Hospital. These included implant procedures, structured multidisciplinary case discussions and improvements to ultrasound services.
He further revealed that the team established four specialized centers within the hospital: the Traditional Chinese Medicine Center, the First Aid Training Center, the Emergency and Trauma Medicine Center and the Rehabilitation Medicine Center. Several medical teaching platforms were also created, which he said have contributed significantly to knowledge sharing and professional development.
According to Dr. Liu Longfei, the most rewarding aspect of the team’s work was witnessing the growing confidence and trust that patients have developed in Chinese medical services.
Captain of the incoming 27th Chinese Medical Team, Dr. Li Zheng, said his team had recently arrived in Sierra Leone and had already completed a comprehensive handover process with the outgoing team in order to ensure continuity of services. Dr. Li Zheng commended the 26th Chinese Medical Team for what he described as their outstanding dedication and commitment to healthcare delivery in Sierra Leone.
He noted that the outgoing team’s contributions to hospital infrastructure, staff training and free clinical services have created a solid foundation upon which the new team will continue to build. Dr. Li Zheng further disclosed that members of the 27th Chinese Medical Team received extensive briefings from their predecessors on local medical conditions, patient communication and working routines within the country’s healthcare environment.
Dr. Li Zheng announced that the new team has officially commenced an 18-month medical assistance mission in Sierra Leone, describing the assignment as both a responsibility and an honour. Acknowledging the country’s ongoing health challenges, including malaria, tuberculosis and other tropical diseases, he assured that the team would continue to support national efforts aimed at improving healthcare delivery.
According to Dr. Li Zheng, the team will focus on providing hospital-based treatment while also undertaking rural outreach programmes to ensure that healthcare services reach underserved communities. He stated that the team will offer free consultations and health education sessions designed to promote disease prevention and healthy living practices.
Dr. Li Zheng emphasized that the mission of the Chinese Medical Team goes beyond treating illnesses, noting that the programme also seeks to strengthen professional exchange between Chinese and Sierra Leonean medical professionals while deepening the longstanding friendship between the two countries.
Dean of the Sierra Leone–China Friendship Hospital, Dr. Augustine Tarawally, commended the outgoing 26th Chinese Medical Team for their professionalism, dedication and commitment to patient care. He said members of the team consistently responded to emergency situations and worked in close partnership with local medical staff, describing their collaboration as a unified and effective medical effort.
Dr. Augustine Tarawally disclosed that during the period of the team’s service, the hospital recorded zero maternal deaths and only two neonatal deaths, an achievement he described as a significant milestone in maternal and child healthcare delivery.
He also revealed that the hospital’s telemedicine center has become fully operational, adding that the institution successfully launched its first on-site training programme designed specifically for first responders.
Dr. Augustine Tarawally further announced that the incoming 27th Chinese Medical Team includes a neurosurgeon, a development he said will significantly expand the availability of specialized healthcare services in Sierra Leone. He explained that the country currently has only one neurosurgeon and confirmed that the Sierra Leone–China Friendship Hospital will soon begin offering neurosurgical services following the arrival of the specialist.
He added that the hospital is undergoing major transformation through ongoing rehabilitation and re-equipping of its facilities with support from Chinese partners. According to him, the Trauma and Imaging Center has already been restored and will soon be formally inaugurated as part of broader improvements at the hospital.
Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Zhao Yong, also commended the outgoing medical team for what he described as their selfless service and remarkable contribution to healthcare delivery in the country. Ambassador Zhao Yong noted that the team treated approximately 35,000 patients, performed numerous surgical procedures and provided free medical services, medicines and training programmes for local communities.
Ambassador Zhao Yong further highlighted the establishment of four specialized medical centers at the Sierra Leone–China Friendship Hospital, stating that those developments have significantly strengthened the hospital’s capacity and positioned it as an emerging medical education and training hub.
The Chinese Ambassador officially welcomed the 27th Chinese Medical Team and disclosed that their deployment follows a new bilateral protocol signed in November which extends the duration of the medical mission to 18 months.
Ambassador Zhao Yong also spoke about the broader scope of health cooperation between Sierra Leone and China. He referenced the launch of the Paired Hospital Cooperation Mechanism linking the Sierra Leone–China Friendship Hospital with Shenzhen Hospital in China, an initiative aimed at promoting medical collaboration, knowledge sharing and capacity building.
He further mentioned the recent commemoration of the 10th anniversary of China and Sierra Leone’s joint response to the Ebola outbreak, noting that both countries have agreed to pursue additional health cooperation projects in the years ahead.
In his remarks, the Minister of Health, Dr. Austin Demby, described the partnership between Sierra Leone and China as a powerful example of international solidarity in strengthening Sierra Leone’s healthcare system.
Dr. Austin Demby recalled that during the Ebola outbreak, when many countries were hesitant to intervene, China stood firmly with Sierra Leone by providing medical assistance and critical support. He also noted that during the COVID-19 pandemic, China supplied Sierra Leone with 200,000 vaccine doses at a time when global access to vaccines was severely limited.
The Minister emphasized that Sierra Leone’s national health strategy focuses on delivering quality healthcare services closer to communities rather than restricting services to hospital settings. Dr. Austin Demby praised Chinese support for mobile healthcare initiatives, particularly the “hospital on wheels” programme, which he described as one of the most impactful services reaching remote and underserved populations.
Dr. Austin Demby expressed appreciation to the outgoing Chinese Medical Team for leaving their homes to serve the people of Sierra Leone and warmly welcomed the incoming team. He encouraged them to work closely with local health professionals to continue strengthening healthcare delivery across the country.
The Chinese Medical Team programme has been operating in Sierra Leone for several decades and remains one of the longest-standing areas of cooperation between the two countries in the health sector. Through clinical services, professional training and hospital development support, the initiative continues to play a vital role in strengthening Sierra Leone’s healthcare system and deepening the enduring partnership between Sierra Leone and China.
