Shanxi Province Strengthens Medical Aid to Africa, Fostering Sino-African Health Cooperation

Shanxi province is increasing its overseas medical aid efforts, supporting a Sino-African health community while simultaneously developing its own healthcare sector, according to the provincial health commission director, Zhang Bo.

Since 1975, Shanxi has provided medical aid to Cameroon, Togo, and Djibouti. The province has sent 70 medical teams, comprising 1,466 individuals, who have treated over 5 million patients across these three countries. A significant number of these medical professionals have received prestigious awards for their contributions.

Nationally, China has dispatched 25,000 medical workers to 48 African countries since 1963, treating approximately 230 million patients.

In June of the previous year, Shanxi deployed its 23rd medical aid team to Djibouti. Over the past year, this team has provided care to a large number of outpatients, offered acupuncture and massage therapy, performed numerous surgeries, and handled many emergency cases. They also introduced new medical technologies, addressing gaps in local healthcare services.

The team members have demonstrated the spirit of Chinese medical teams through their ethics and skills, providing quality services and earning praise from various entities. The team's head in Djibouti emphasized the pride and responsibility associated with the mission, highlighting the importance of their professional work and the representation of their team, patients, and nation.

The team has shared knowledge and skills in traditional Chinese acupuncture, Western surgical techniques, and complex disease diagnoses with local medical staff, contributing to the development of Djiboutian medical capabilities.

The Djibouti team, largely composed of members from Jin Cheng People's Hospital, utilized both Western and traditional Chinese medicine. The hospital director praised the team's courage and professional competence. Future plans involve continued collaboration with local hospitals, improved communication, and mentoring to enhance patient care.

The Shanxi Provincial Health Commission has expanded its aid programs and introduced new cooperation mechanisms. In 2023, Shanxi launched a cataract blindness elimination project in Djibouti. Despite various challenges, medical teams from Shanxi performed numerous eye exams and cataract surgeries.

Shanxi's aid also focuses on training local medical workers, aiming to build long-term capacity. This includes mentoring, lectures, technical training, and exchange programs to cultivate local talent.

Shanxi, with its rich traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) heritage, has invested significantly in developing TCM.