Carrying forward the spirit of Chinese medical teams

"Your Chinese is excellent. Where are you from?"

"I am from Tanzania. My Chinese name is Wen Jing."

"The people of China and Tanzania are good friends. The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) railway is in your country!"

"Yes, the railway project was made possible with the support of our Chinese friends. Today, I am here in the community to provide health consultations."

"Sure, please help me check my blood pressure!"

Fathiya Said participates in a volunteer program to provide medical consultations to residents of a community in China. (Photo provided by Fathiya Said)

I am a medical student at Jiangsu University. Recently, I joined a volunteer program providing medical examinations for the elderly in a community in Zhenjiang, east China's Jiangsu Province, alongside my teachers and classmates.

It was my first time volunteering in this capacity, and I felt a bit nervous at first. However, the local residents welcomed us warmly, engaged in friendly conversations and attentively listened to the health advice we offered. This made me feel relaxed and joyful.

This rewarding experience provided me with a valuable opportunity to connect closely with the Chinese people. Since coming to China, I have been captivated by its wonders, from towering skyscrapers and magnificent natural landscapes to its profound historical and cultural heritage.

What I admire the most is the remarkable work of Chinese medical teams, who have selflessly provided medical assistance to developing countries for over 60 years. In 1963, China dispatched its first medical team to Algeria, marking the start of its international medical assistance efforts. Over the six decades from 1963 to 2023, China has sent medical teams comprising 30,000 members to 76 countries and regions worldwide, delivering 290 million diagnoses and treatments to local populations. Through their expertise and compassion, they have healed countless patients.

Fathiya Said participates in a volunteer program to provide medical consultations to residents of a community in China. (Photo provided by Fathiya Said)

The deep friendship between China and Tanzania has been reinforced by these medical teams, despite the thousands of miles that separate our countries. The United Republic of Tanzania consists of Tanganyika and Zanzibar. China has assigned medical teams to Zanzibar since 1964 and to Tanzania's mainland since 1968. In 2017, a group of health experts group was sent to control and eliminate schistosomiasis in Zanzibar, delivering long-term benefits to the Tanzanian people through their exceptional medical skills.

To date, China has dispatched 33 medical teams to Zanzibar, treating over 7.7 million local patients. Additionally, 27 Chinese medical teams have provided services in mainland Tanzania, treating nearly 20 million patients. By introducing advanced medical techniques and filling technological gaps, these teams have significantly improved the health standards in Tanzania. For instance, they performed Tanzania's first heart surgery and limb reattachment surgery. Moreover, Chinese doctors often travel to remote areas with limited medical resources to provide essential services to locals.

As I study medicine, my respect for the Chinese medical teams grows each day, and I feel proud to aspire to become a doctor. I greatly admire their spirit – fearlessness when facing hardships, dedication to saving lives and compassion demonstrated through practical actions. It was this spirit that inspired me to take part in the volunteer program.

Fathiya Said advises a local Chinese resident on how to prevent heatstroke and other heat-related symptoms during the summer season. (Photo provided by Fathiya Said)

I have had the pleasure of interacting with many senior citizens, listening to stories from their youth and giving them health check-ups and medical advice. I often tell them that the Chinese medical teams are my role models; they are heroes, and I want to follow in their footsteps.

Back in Tanzania, these medical teams are providing assistance to my fellow Tanzanians, bringing hope to those living with illnesses. Though thousands of miles away, I am offering help to the Chinese people to the best of my ability, hoping to carry forward, in a different way, the great spirit of the Chinese medical teams that transcends borders.

(Fathiya Said is a Tanzanian student studying at Jiangsu University.)