ChinesedoctorLiHailian,directoroftheDepartmentofGynecologyandObstetricsattheChina-ZambiaFriendshipHospital,gaveSariMa,a30-year-oldZambianmother,afollow-upcheckupsixweeksafterdelivery.OnJune23,2018,SariMa,a30-year-oldZambianmother,broughtherfourthchildtotheChina-ZambiaFriendshipHospitalforafollow-upcheckupsixweeksafterdelivery.
ShewasexaminedbyChinesedoctorLiHailian,directoroftheDepartmentofGynecologyandObstetricsatthehospital.
LicametotheChina-ZambiaFriendshipHospitalin2005withherhusbandQinXisheng,deputygeneralmanageroftheChina-ZambiaEconomicandTradeCooperationZoneandpresidentofthehospital.
Beforetheirarrival,theregionlackedanylocalgynecologistandobstetrician,andthematernalmortalityratewaspainfullyhighduetomeagermedicalconditions.
However,sinceLiHailianarrived,theDepartmentofGynecologyandObstetricsandhastransformedintoaleadingdepartmentofthehospital.NotonlydotheystrictlyscreenpregnantwomenwithHIVandtreatthemforfreetoreducetheriskofmother-to-childtransmission,butherteamalsodiagnosesandtreatslocalwomenforhigh-riskpregnancy.
LiuYueqincametoZambiain2015afterretiringfromtheChinaNonferrousMetalMining(Group)Co.,Ltd.,knownasCNMCforshort.Now,sheservesasadministrativemanageroftheChina-ZambiaFriendshipHospital.“OurhospitalistheonlyoneinZambiawithzeromaternaldeath,andwealsohavethelowestinfantmortalityrate,”shesaidproudly.
LocatedinthecityofKitwe,theChina-ZambiaFriendshipHospitalsproutedfromNkanaMiningHospital,whichwasestablishedinthe1930s.
Afterclosingformanyyearsduetomismanagement,thehospitalwasacquiredbyNFCAfricaMining,asubsidiaryofCNMCinAfrica,in2000andrenamedChina-ZambiaFriendshipHospital.
Foritslong-termdevelopment,thehospitalwastransferredtoamedicalinstitutionunderthemanagementoftheChina-ZambiaEconomicandTradeCooperationZoneinNovember2009.
MedicalresourcesinZambiaarequitelimited.TheChina-ZambiaFriendshipHospitalhasplayedanimportantroleinimprovinglocalmedicalservicescapacity.
ThehospitalnotonlyprovidesmedicalservicesforChineseemployeesofChinafundedenterprisesinZambia,butalsooffersfreetreatmenttolocalemployeesandtheirfamilies.Thankstotheimpressivedevelopmentofthehospital,increasingnumbersoflocalscometherewheninneedofmedicaltreatment.Zambianwomenwaitfordoctors’callingforreexaminationoutsideoftheDepartmentofGynecologyandObstetrics,thebusiestdepartmentoftheChina-ZambiaFriendshipHospital.ChinesedoctorsperformsurgeryonaZambianpatientintheoperatingroomattheChina-ZambiaFriendshipHospital.However,thedevelopmentofthehospitalonlyprogressesthrougheffortsofthewholemedicalteam.AtotalofsevenChinesedoctorsatthehospitalworkwithmorethan10Zambiandoctorsandnurses.
MajoroperationsanddiagnosesstilldependonChinesedoctors.Althoughthereisabasicdivisionoflabor,somesituationsrequireanyoneavailabletohelpoutfromtimetotime.Gradually,everydoctorwascertifiedasageneralpractitioner.
SuZhibing,directoroftheDepartmentofAnesthesiologyandassistanttothepresidentofthehospital,cametoZambiain2010.Notonlyisheananesthesiologist,buthealsooverseesmanagementofthehospital’swardsandpharmacy.
ManyplacesinZambiahaveahighrateofHIVinfection,andhospitalscertainlyhavethem.“Whenwearrived,Irealizedthatof20inpatientsinoneward,19wereAIDSpatientssufferingvariouscomplications,whichwasreallydepressing,”revealedQinXisheng.“Savinglivesisadoctor’sduty,whichweallneedtotakeseriously,soyouhavetostaycalmandprotectyourself.”
Once,whenLiandQinwereperformingasurgeryonanHIV-infectedpatient,LiaccidentallyknockedapairofscissorsfromQin’shand,whichfellthroughQin’sshoeandstabbedhisfoot.
“Whenithappened,wedidn’tcaremuchaboutitandwentonwiththeoperation,”sherecalled.“Whentheprocedurewascompleted,Irealizedheshouldrushforaninjection.”Fortunately,Qinwasn’tinfected.Butsincethen,surgeonsareallrequiredtowearhard-rubbershoesintheoperatingroom.
ForChineseemployeesinZambia,thehospitalistheirharborandshelterintheforeigncountry.OnMay19,2005,aChineseemployeeofaChinese-fundedenterprisewasinjuredseverelyduringconstructionwork.Aninjurytohisheadledtoanintracranialhemorrhageandcoma.
Qinimmediatelyorganizedanemergencyrescue.Aftertheoperation,heworriedthatthepatient’sdifficultyinspeakingwouldmakingnursingmoredifficultandnegativelyimpacttreatment,sohepersonallytookcareofthepatientformorethan20daysuntilhewasoutofdanger.
Manylocalpeoplecan’taffordthebills,butQinalwaysgivesthemasteepdiscountorfreetreatment.Infact,ofallthemedicalinstitutionsinZambia,theChina-ZambiaFriendshipHospitalchargesthelowestformedicalservices.
“MostZambianpeoplearenotrich,andwe’renotoperatingahospitalheretomakemoney,”declaredQin.“WewanttoserveChineseenterpriseswellanddogreatthingsforthelocalpeoplesowecanearnagoodreputationforChinesepeopleandenterprisesoverseas.Theworkwe’redoinghereisaboutthingsthataremuchmoreimportantthanmoney.”
SomemedicalworkersplaybasketballatthelivingareaoftheChina-ZambiaFriendshipHospital.
AZambiandoctorattheChina-ZambiaFriendshipHospitalgivesaphysicalexaminationtoalocalman.