By Foday Moriba Conteh
During a well-attended ceremony held on Monday 6th March, 2023 at its Embassy at Spur Loop on Wilberforce in Freetown, the Chinese Embassy in Sierra Leone bid farewell to the 23th batch of Chinese Medical Team after being in and worked in Sierra Leone for more than 14 months and at the same time welcomed the 24th batch of Chinese Medical Team to Sierra Leone.
Present at the ceremony were the Minister of Health and Sanitation, Dr. Austin Demby, the Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Wang Qing, the Medical Superintendent Sierra Leone China Friendship Hospital, Dr. Sarah Conteh etc.
In his address, the Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Wang Qing, pointed out that the 23rd batch of Chinese Medical Team carried forward the spirit of the Chinese medical team which is “defying hardships, dedicating selflessly, saving lives, healing the wounded, and spreading boundless love”, treated 23,000 patients and successfully conducted over 600 operations.
He said that in addition to routine health care services provided at the Jui Hospital, they also managed to walk out of the hospital, offered free services and medicines to schools, orphanages, communities and mines, trained local medical staff .
Wang Qing revealed that the Chinese Embassy has officially received the 24th batch of Chinese Medical Team who just arrived in the country, furthering that he is glad to know that Ear-Nose-Teeth doctors joined the team as per request from Jui Hospital and MOHS, which increased the team members to 21 people and their coverage of diagnosis and treatment more extensive of which he expressed confidence that they will take over the heavy task from the 23th batch team and give even better performance here with their excellent clinical skills and benevolence.
The Ambassador informed the gathering that this year marks the 50th Anniversary of the dispatching of Chinese Medical Team to Sierra Leone. Since 1973, China has sent over 500 long-term and short-term Chinese medical and health experts to Sierra Leone to provide help, adding that according to incomplete statistics, during the last five decades, the Chinese medical teams have helped diagnose and treat over 800 thousand patients, conducted more than 100 thousand cases of operations and trained over 5,000 local medical staff.
He revealed that the teams had stood with the Sierra Leonean people during the Ebola outbreak and COVID-19 pandemic and they delivered many Sierra Leonean newborns to the world, made many eyes reencounter light again, stitched up countless wounds, and relieved countless people’s pain.
“They are the true Friends of China to Sierra Leone,” he said furthering that China was the first country to send COVID-19 vaccine to Sierra Leone of which more than 700,000 doses of vaccine have been administered saying they are ready to provide more once they receive a request.
The Team Leader of the 24th batch of Chinese Medical Team, Dr. Chen Yongjun, disclosed that China sent the first medical team to Sierra Leone in 1973, and it has been 50 years since then, adding that the 23rd batch of China medical team worked here for almost 14 months, with outstanding achievements, noting that members of the Chinese medical Team are not only angels saving lives, but also friendly envoys conveying friendship.
He said their work has been widely praised by Sierra Leoneans and the International Community and now they are going to complete their mission and will return to China. He stated that the new team will take over their baton, describing it as a glorious mission, not only an honor but also a responsibility.
Dr. Chen Yongjun intimated the gathering that the 24th batch of Chinese Medical Team consists of 21 members, and their specialties cover internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, gynecology, obstetrics, otolaryngology, ophthalmology and many other specialties. He said the team comprises people of within the age bracket of 32-50 years old, with more than ten to twenty years of working experience with rich clinical medical experience in their respective sub-specialty fields.
“We will carry out free clinical activities in a planned way based on the world medical and health-related festivals, such as Breastfeeding Promotion Day (May 20), Epilepsy Care Day (June 28), World Heart Day (the last Sunday in September), and World Arthritis Day (October 12).Meanwhile, we will carry out health education activities related to diseases,” he revealed.
Underscoring their plans, the Team Leader said they will strengthen the training of teaching and scientific research capabilities and improve the level of local medical staff and they will carry out academic exchanges, strengthen exchanges and cooperation with other Sierra Leonean hospitals, strengthen cooperation with China’s top hospitals and strive to build a telemedicine center.
He added that they are striving to improve the overall medical level of Sierra Leone in three aspects: medical treatment, teaching and scientific research, maintaining that the work of medical teams in foreign countries is one of the major policies of China and it has already lasted for 60 years. Meanwhile, this year they will witness the 50th anniversary of medical help to Sierra Leone.
On his part, the Minister of Health and Sanitation, Dr. Austin Demby, on behalf of the Government of Sierra Leone expressed appreciation to China, through the Chinese Embassy in Sierra Leone, for their support to the health sector over the years.
He said that the Chinese Medical Team has supported Sierra Leone’s Health Sector in diverse ways and this year they will witness the 50th anniversary of medical help to Sierra Leone which he described as long-lasting friendship.
The Minister commended the 23rd Batch Medical Team for their tireless work during their stay in Sierra Leone and also welcomed the 24th Batch of Chinese Medical Team to Sierra Leone of which he encouraged them to continue on the good footing of the previous teams.
