By Foday Moriba Conteh
In commemorating the 60th Anniversary of dispatching the first China Medical Team to Africa and the 50th Anniversary of dispatching the first China Medical Team to Sierra Leone, the Government of the People’s Republic of China, through the 24th Batch of the China Medical Team in Sierra Leone, has on Friday 2nd June, 2023 donated medical supplies to the Sierra Leone-China Friendship Hospital Jui. The handing over ceremony was held at the hospital premises at Jui, Western Rural District.
The Leader of China’s 24th Batch of Medical Team to Sierra Leone, Chen Yongjun, said the medical team arrived in Sierra Leone in the early March of this year, and the first challenge they faced was the detention of medicines and equipment at customs for over 100 days this year.
He said the materials donated include various categories, pharmaceuticals, consumables, instruments and equipment, etc., with a total amount of nearly 300000 RMB, totaling over 1 Million New Leones and that the medicines cover oral and intravenous medications, including antibiotics, cardiovascular systems, digestive systems, respiratory systems, and nervous systems; Consumables include infusion sets, blood collection needles, disinfectant, gloves, masks and hats, gynecological delivery kits, various puncture kits, and so on; The equipment covers sphygmomanometer, electric aspirator, expectoration machines, sprayer, electrocardiograph, and other basic equipment.
Chen Yongjun pointed out that in addition to material support, according to the Protocol between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone on dispatching a Medical Team from China to serve in Sierra Leone, their greatest support for hospital is technical support.
He stated that the batch of medical team has sent a total of 21 members, covering multiple disciplines such as internal medicine, external medicine, gynecology, pediatrics, adding that since 1973, China has sent its first medical team to help Sierra Leone and over the past 50 years, it has sent 24 batches of 363 medical team members, treating a large number of local patients and training local medical staff.
“This batch of medical team members had been in Sierra Leone for nearly three months, and all medical work carried out comprehensively and orderly. The medical team members have over ten or even twenty years of work experience, and we have rich medical experience in our respective professional fields. Most of them come from teaching hospitals of well-known medical schools in China, with rich medical teaching experience. We will further train local doctors and nurses in Sierra Leone,” he revealed.
The Leader noted that there are still some difficulties in the operation and management of the hospital, such as a lack of investment in new instruments and equipment, a shortage of medical supplies, frequent power outage, etc. so they are kindly requesting the Ministry of Health and Sanitation of Sierra Leone and the Chinese Embassy to pay more attention to the development of Sierra Leone-China Friendship Hospital.
The Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Wang Qing, said that China has always been working closely with Sierra Leone in the health sector to support the country’s effort in promoting universal health coverage and advancing the country’s health sector in the country.
He said that the Sierra Leone-China Friendship Hospital where both the China Medical Team and the Sierra Leonean doctors are working closely is a clear manifestation of the China and Sierra Leone collaboration achievement.
Wang Qing said that this year marks 50th Anniversary of dispatching the first China Medical Team to Sierra Leone, adding that over these years the China Medical Team has been sending professional Chinese doctors, medicines and medical care to Sierra Leone.
He stated that since 1973 the China Medical Team have treated over 800,000 patients and they have conducted more than 100,000 cases of operations and trained over 5,000 local medical staff.
The Ambassador concluded by stating that the donation of the medical supplies to the Sierra Leone-China Friendship Hospital is part of their effort to support the medical sector in the country.
The Medical Superintendent at the Sierra Leone-China Friendship Hospital, Dr. Sarah Conteh expressed appreciation to the Government of the People’s Republic of China through the 24th Batch of the China Medical Team in Sierra Leone for donating the medical supplies to the Sierra Leone-China Friendship Hospital.
She described the donation as very important towards the development of the hospital. She said that they are very happy for the working relationship between the local doctors and the Chinese Medical Team.
Dr. Sarah Conteh assured all that the donated medical supplies will be used for their intended purposes in order to improve the medical facilities in the hospital.
