Caring for health, beyond boundaries

Healing journey

In August 2013, Liu Qiang, an orthopedic surgeon from Xianyang Central Hospital in Shaanxi, arrived in the war-torn capital of Khartoum as a member of the 31st batch of the Chinese medical team sent to Sudan. Amid ongoing conflicts and rampant diseases in the region, the team was faced with daunting challenges upon their arrival.

"Seeing the dire conditions of the assisted hospital at that time, every team member was determined to do their utmost, utilizing all resources and conditions available to overcome obstacles and provide the best care to local patients," the 46-year-old says.

During his mission, he encountered a critical emergency case, when a patient had extensive skin wounds on the lower limbs, with X-rays revealing five fractures in the foot, posing a life-threatening situation.

With only two steel needles available in the hospital, Liu led his team in administering fluids and blood transfusions to stabilize the patient's vital organs. Resourceful in the face of shortage of medical supplies, he divided the two needles into multiple segments to successfully secure the five fractures, stabilized the lower leg fracture with an external fixator, and properly treated the skin wounds.

"Each one of us foreign aid team members does our best, utilizing all available resources and conditions, using every means to overcome various difficulties in order to meet the medical and disease treatment needs of the local residents. I feel that everything we do is so meaningful," Liu says.

Following the surgery, the patient's limbs were saved, a result that brought surprise and relief to local doctors and the patient's family, who praised the Chinese medical team, exclaiming, "Chinese doctors are amazing!"

Over the span of two years on the medical mission, Liu has demonstrated exceptional medical skills. During the turmoil in Sudan, he treated 76 gunshot victims, disregarding personal safety for the urgent care of those in need.

He was later honored with various awards, hailed as one of the most outstanding doctors in Shaanxi and a role model in the field of foreign medical aid.

"I hope to set foot on Sudanese soil again, contributing more to the local people and fulfilling the duties of a doctor," Liu says.

As the first female head of a medical team sent from Shaanxi to Sudan, Guo Yong, 53, hopes her firsthand experiences would serve as a powerful motivator for more of her colleagues to take part in medical-assistance missions.

Leading the 34th batch of the medical team in 2018, Guo from the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, initiated a restoring vision project, providing free surgeries to impoverished cataract patients in Sudan. About 159 impoverished cataract patients benefited from the project, regaining their sight.