Doctor devoted to safeguarding health of rural residents in NW China's Shaanxi

Over the past more than five decades, Lu Shengmei, former vice president and director of the department of pediatrics of Jiaxian People's Hospital, has remained dedicated to safeguarding the health of local residents in Jiaxian county in Yulin, northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

In 1968, Lu, a Beijing native, graduated from a medical college and came to work in Jiaxian county, and soon discovered that Jiaxian was very economically backward. When Lu made home visits, she had to travel along a treacherous mountain path, and because Jiaxian is a water-deficient county, the water that local residents and Lu drank came from the Yellow River. Even worse, at the time, one person was given only one bottle of such water each day.

The healthcare in Jiaxian was poor, and so was local residents' hygiene awareness, which made Lu very worried. She vowed to make continuous efforts to help Jiaxian's residents improve their health over the next five decades.

A child hugs Lu Shengmei and kisses her on the cheek when Lu pays a home visit to provide medical treatment for a patient. (Xinhua News Agency/Tao Ming)

Lu has won praise from local patients with her professional skills and generosity.

On one snowy day, when Lu was on her way to a patient's home 5 kilometers from where she lived, she fell more than 40 times. To treat an infant for whooping cough, Lu performed oral suctioning to clear phlegm from the patient's mouth.

To better serve the people while improving her professional skills, Lu adopted a routine of providing medical treatment during the day and learning at night. In addition, she always prescribed cheap but effective medication for patients.

Lu has declined offers, some with very handsome salaries, from several large hospitals outside Jiaxian county.

By 2018, Lu had fulfilled her promise to help Jiaxian's residents improve their health throughout the previous five decades. Far from slowing down, she has continued to work hard to protect people's health. After the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic, Lu applied to serve at the frontline battlefield against the virus.

After she was elected as a delegate to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Lu said: "Time can test the belief and original aspiration of a Party member. I'm old and I'll continue to serve the people until the last minute of my life."