Feature: Chinese doctors touching hearts of rural communities in Uganda through health services

MUKONO, Uganda, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Dozens of people at the Katosi landing site in the Central Region district of Mukono queued to get the free medical care provided by a visiting Chinese medical team from the Ugandan capital of Kampala.

The medical camp, which ended on Friday, pulled crowds from the landing site on the shores of Lake Victoria and surrounding areas.

Muhammed Musisi, a patient, told Xinhua in an interview that the free medical camp is a rare occurrence and it will save the meager resources that would have been spent at private clinics.

Patients with ailments visited the tent where Chinese doctors with different specialties were stationed. Mangeri Akirapa patiently queued with his 11-year-old son, who had an ear infection for the last three years. A Chinese specialist in ear, nose and throat cleaned the boy's ears with special instruments.

"I took my son to different hospitals, but there was no success. Here, they just cleaned the ears, and my son said he is feeling much better," Akirapa said.

Several patients were given health counseling, while others were asked to visit hospitals for further examination.

The medical camp aimed at boosting health care in remote areas. The medical team, in their white gowns, left their workstation, China-Uganda Friendship Hospital in Kampala, to camp at Katosi.

The team consists of seven physicians and surgeons, specializing in different fields like gastroenterology, urology, infectious diseases, otolaryngology, anesthesiology, and traditional Chinese medicine, among others.

The camp was held in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the Chinese medical team to Uganda. The Chinese medical team arrived in Uganda in 1983. Since then, a cumulative total of 229 doctors and experts from China have provided medical services to local communities in Uganda, according to Chinese embassy figures.

Guo Zhiping, head of the 22nd Chinese medical team to Uganda, told Xinhua at the camp that they are introducing a Chinese culture where medical experts from developed places go to remote villages to extend health services.

"Since we are doctors from China, we want to bring this tradition to the Ugandan people. We will give them physical examination and health advice," Guo said shortly before the medical camp started.

"This way, we could improve the health awareness of the local people," she added.

Guo said working with their Uganda counterparts has been mutually beneficial since it involved knowledge and skills transfer.

"We both benefit a lot from this process, and it is a good cooperation between us," she added.

The local leaders at Katosi hailed the Chinese medical team for holding the camp in their area, noting that access to free health care is important, especially for low-income earners.

The Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Uganda also donated mosquito nets to the local leaders, who shall distribute them.

Jiang Jiqing, economic and commercial counselor of the Chinese embassy in Uganda, said over the last four decades, China has been sending medical teams to boost healthcare provision.

She noted that in 2012, China donated grants to set up a 100-bed China-Uganda Friendship Hospital. At the hospital, the Chinese team works with its Ugandan counterparts to do surgeries and deliver other medical services.

"We are doing joint research and delivering training programs from time to time," Jiang said.