–through special ‘Healthy Village’ initiative
–leader sees bright future for Guyana’s healthcare sector given govt’s transformative efforts

A man who was left with severe nerve pain after undergoing a surgery to address a brain tumour, received much needed relief through the “Healthy Village” initiative which was launched by the Chinese Medical Team in collaboration with the Health and Amerindian Affairs Ministries.
Malali Village in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice), on Saturday, was the first of many to benefit from the initiative, and over 30 citizens took advantage.
In an interview with the Guyana Chronicle, members of the medical team spoke extensively on not only this new initiative but also on medical collaboration between China and Guyana.
A member of the Chinese Medical Team who is also a traditional medicine doctor, Dr. Ben Ji reflected on the defining moments of his outreach.

He treated a patient who had lost his eyesight due to a brain tumor. After his operation, the man had suffered from extensive abnormal nerve sensations in the back of the head, neck, and all four limbs.
The sensations were accompanied by frequent pain and a burning sensation on the skin. Taking into account the medical conditions, Dr. Ji recommended acupuncture treatment.
Initially, the patient who unfamiliar with traditional Chinese medicine and understandably, was nervous about acupuncture and declined the offer. However, after persuasion from the medical staff, he finally agreed to take the leap of faith.
A remarkable shift occurred just after one acupuncture session, as the patient reported a noticeable relief in the pain and burning sensation on his skin.

The long-standing medical cooperation between China and Guyana has resulted in Guyanese becoming more knowledgeable about traditional Chinese medicine, the doctor said.
However, there is still room to expand this knowledge, and that objective is being carried out, especially under this new initiative, he said.
“Admittedly, the effect of a single treatment is limited. To achieve lasting results, long-term and standardised treatment is essential, and there is still much work for us to do in this regard,” Dr. Ji said.
The “Healthy Village” initiative was sprouted from a meeting between the 20th China Medical Team and the Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Campbell-Sukhai. An agreement was reached to allow the medical team to provide free medical services in some of Guyana’s remote villages.

It was stated that the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs subsequently proposed a list of 15 villages, scattered across three regions.
The 11-member medical team covered a wide range of specialties, including general surgery, ophthalmology, orthopedics, obstetrics and gynecology, nephrology, anesthesia and pain medicine, burns and plastic surgery, traditional Chinese medicine, radiology, and pathology.
Besides offering consultations for diseases within these specialties, the team also provided services such as blood pressure/blood glucose measurement, as well as traditional Chinese medicine treatments like acupuncture and Tuina.

Further, Minister Sukahi expounded on the longstanding diplomatic relationship that China has with Guyana.
She spoke about the tremendous collaboration and support in various fields such as agriculture and education.

EQUITABLE HEALTHCARE
Leader of the 20th China Medical Team, Dr. Bob Du, on behalf of his colleagues, presented practical medical supplies such as sphygmomanometers, medical masks, and hand sanitizers to the village Head.
Reflecting on the event, Dr. Du said that over the past six months since their arrival, the medical team members have witnessed first-hand the efforts being made by the Guyana government to improve local medical conditions and elevate the standard of healthcare.
Dr. Du expressed confidence that, given time, Guyana’s healthcare system would achieve similar success as China’s.

He underscored that this free medical consultation marks a promising start to this series of outreach activities and stands as yet another exemplary model of medical cooperation between China and Guyana.
In the coming six months, the Chinese Medical Team will continue to work closely with the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs and the Ministry of Health to sustain this meaningful initiative