Dedicated Chinese Medical Teams on the Front Lines:Remarkable Contributions to Barbados

Xinhua News Agency

As a surgeon， Anthony Harris， Director of Medical Services at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Barbados， observed Chinese doctors treating patients in the operating room. In his eyes， every member of the Chinese medical team was dedicated， rigorous and always at the forefront.

“Our hospital has seen several foreign medical personnel to assist us with our services over the past decades， but the Chinese medical team is our first long-term partner，” said Harris， in an interview with Xinhua News Agency in Bridgetown， Barbados.

Harriss hospital is the largest and highest-level public general hospital in the local area. However， it faces limitations in certain specialties due to imperfect medical equipment and reliance on imported pharmaceutical consumables. Since December 2016， five Chinese medical teams from Chongqing have been consistently providing services to the local hospital. These international medical aid missions have brought top-notch Chinese medical technology and services to this remote Caribbean island country.

He Ping， Chief Physician of the Trauma Department of Chongqing Emergency Medical Center， was one of these missions. He served on the 3rd medical team from July 2018 to September 2019. He Ping， a consultant doctor on the international medical aid mission， could have waited for a subordinate doctors examination and report before proceeding with treatment. However， he worked tirelessly on the front lines of the operating room and emergency room to seize the prime time for treating the critically ill. He performed 96 emergency surgeries and cared for 19 patients in critical condition.

“The Chinese medical team significantly eased our expert shortage and made a remarkable contribution to improving the quality of healthcare，” stated Shani Williams， a Queen Elizabeth Hospital medical staff member. “Their profound expertise and practical skills have tremendously bolstered our medical team. Additionally， Chinese doctors have introduced therapies and herbal medicines of traditional Chinese medicine， which has gained popularity among local patients. We aspire to incorporate these therapies into our hospitals diagnostic and care programs to enrich our patient care further.”

Queen Elizabeth Hospital mainly receives severe trauma patients， including those with sharp instrument injuries and involved in traffic accidents. However， the hospital currently lacks a specialized trauma team. In this condition， He Ping not only performed the operation himself， but also provided guidance to local doctors at their first surgery performance， teaching them new technologies to reduce liver rupture and prevent intestinal adhesion obstruction. Moreover， he contributed to enhancing the local trauma emergency diagnosis and treatment by conducting standardized training.

There is an old Chinese saying that “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” Almost every member of the Chinese medical aid teams to Barbados generously shared their expertise with local colleagues.

In late 2020， Dr. Liu Dan， a member of Chinas 5th medical team to Barbados and a specialist in anesthesiology from the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University， arrived at Queen Elizabeth Hospital with eight colleagues. Liu Dan quickly assumed responsibility for administering anesthesia to patients on her own， while also attracting many followers. Liu Dans expertise in advanced anesthesia magnetized the attention of the entire hospital staff， from interns to experienced consultants， who would gather behind her during surgeries.

According to Deng Li， Deputy Director-General of the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Health， the Chinese medical team to Barbados has treated 38，700 clinical cases， performed 1，323 surgeries， and introduced 145 new technologies in nuclear medicine， orthopedics， and other specialized areas. Chongqing Medical University and the Faculty of Medical Sciences， the University of the West Indies in Barbados， have partnered to enhance medical education， extending the boundary of international medical aid missions. China has trained and readied the 6th medical team sent to assist Barbados.

The cutting-edge medical technology showcased by the Chinese medical teams attracted seven doctors from Barbados， who decided to improve their expertise at the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University. Xu Ping， Secretary of the CPC Hospital Committee and Vice President of the hospital， stated， “One-on-one instruction has significantly enhanced their professional theory， clinical thinking， and technical operation skills. This training has provided them with a solid foundation to carry out specialized medical treatments upon their return to Barbados.”

Harris expressed that over the years， healthcare professionals from both countries have worked closely together in the operating room and on the ward， developing both professional relationships and genuine friendships. He is looking forward to the arrival of the new Chinese medical team， “I hope to see old friends again soon and welcome more new friends as well.”