THE 16th Chinese Medical Brigade Delegation recently paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, who expressed to the team his commendation for the excellent work the Chinese brigades have done in Guyana. The team leader of the 16th Brigade, Dr. Qiao Zhiming, Consultant of General surgery; Dr. Zhang Xiangxin, Consultant of Joint Orthopedics; Dr. Qu Hui, Consultant of Anesthesiology; Dr. Chen Ying, Consultant of Radiology; and Dr. Dai Dechun, Consultant of Acupuncture, attended the meeting. The two sides exchanged epidemic prevention and control, clinical medical work, and new forms of foreign medical aid, and among others. They also discussed the possibility of new cooperation in medical education, medicine research, public health and preventive medicine.
Minister Anthony expressed his appreciation for the work done by all previous Chinese medical batches over the past 20 years, noting that they had contributed a lot to Guyana, including strengthening relations between the two countries.

Dr. Anthony spoke highly of the important role played by the five centres of the Chinese medical team at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and Linden Hospital Complex (LHC). That’s a good tradition that Chinese specialists share their skills and experience with their counterparts in Guyana. So far, there are five centres of China Medical Team in Guyana. There is a centre for laparoscopic surgery and an eye centre, both established in 2009, and a trauma centre established in 2015 at the GPHC, a centre for laparoscopic surgery was set up at the LHC in 2014, while anesthesia visualisation technology centre was set up at the GPHC in 2020.
At the end of the talks, the minister expressed his best wishes to the Chinese Medical Brigade and their families for the traditional Chinese Lunar New Year of the Ox.
The first batch of Chinese medical brigade came to Guyana in 1993 according to the Protocol on Medical Cooperation, which was signed between the two countries on May 26, 1993.

DIVERSE SKILLS
The 16th Chinese Medical team was comprised of general surgeons, ophthalmologists, acupuncturists, radiologists, cardiologists, plastic surgeons, pathologists, gynecologists/obstetrician, orthopedists, anesthetists, and cooks, 11 of whom were dispatched at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), while five members were assigned to the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC). Because of the influence of COVID-19, the 16th Chinese Medical Brigade just arrived at Guyana on October 1, 2020. “After completing the quarantine period and registration examination process, we had officially obtained the licence of institutional registration of Guyana on November 16th, 2020. Our foreign aid medical work shows outstanding professionalism and compassion for patients, which has won praise and affirmation from Guyanese counterparts.

By the end of January 2021, in just two and a half months, we had created countless possibilities. The 16th Chinese Medical Brigade had attended to 1621 outpatient and emergency patients,1159 inpatients, conducted 268 surgeries, treated 55 critically ill patients, carried out acupuncture 216 times, anesthesia 238 times, completed 36 deliveries and reviewed 624 radiology reports at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and Linden Hospital Complex (LHC),” Dr. Dechun said.
He added: “We believe that the most beautiful scenery is on the road, a better future in the far distance. We love Guyana connected by mountains and rivers, only because our 16 teammates sprinkle our sweat together and leave the footprints of striving.”

Chinese Medical Brigade has always kept in mind the great trust and fulfilled its mission. It has spared no effort to do a good job in foreign aid medical work, pass on new technologies and new ideas to Guyana counterparts, and truly build a medical team that cannot be taken away.
“We continue to inherit the spirit of the Chinese foreign aid medical team, which is ‘Not afraid of difficulties and dangers, willing to sacrifice, saving the life and healing the wounded and boundless love.’ We endeavour to live up to the trust of the times and our youth, and polish the gold signboard of foreign aid medical team,” Dr. Dechun said.