Healing with silver needles: 27th Chinese medical team hosts TCM cultural promotion event for International Nurses Day in Sierra Leone

On May 12, in celebration of the 115th International Nurses Day, the 27th Chinese medical team to Sierra Leone successfully hosted the country’s inaugural "Wonders of Acupuncture" cultural promotion event at the Sierra Leone-China Friendship Hospital. The initiative aimed to honor the nursing profession through Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) exchange while bringing high-quality traditional culture and health services to the local community.

The event commenced with a vibrant street parade. Members of the Chinese medical team, including nurses Tan Yan and Zhou Jienan, joined a large procession of local nursing staff. Together, they marched through the busy streets of Jui, Freetown, symbolizing the deep professional bond and solidarity between medical workers of the two nations.

Chinese and Sierra Leonean medical staff celebrate International Nurses Day at the hospital entrance. (Photo provided to People's Dail;y Online)

Members of the Chinese medical team join local nurses in a celebratory parade through Jui. (Photo provided to People's Dail;y Online)

During the official ceremony, Li Zheng, captain of the Chinese medical team, and Tarawally, medical superintendent of the Sierra Leone-China Friendship Hospital, delivered opening remarks. Both leaders highly commended the team’s efforts in disseminating TCM culture and technical training, expressing hope that such activities would further deepen medical exchange and enhance local healthcare capabilities.

The workshop included both theoretical and practical components. Tan Yan, deputy captain and nursing lead, provided a detailed lecture on "Gua Sha" (scraping therapy), covering its principles, standardized operations, and contraindications. Zhou Shengqiang, director of the TCM Center at the hospital, systematically introduced the millennium-old heritage of acupuncture, explaining core theories such as Yin-Yang, Five Elements, and the "Five Major Therapies" (Acupuncture, Moxibustion, Massage, Cupping, and Scraping).

Zhou Shengqiang performs a live demonstration of acupuncture for local staff. (Photo provided to People's Dail;y Online)

Following the lectures, Zhou Shengqiang and Li Duandan provided hands-on demonstrations and treatments for four local staff members suffering from shoulder, back, and knee pain. The participants reported immediate relief within minutes, praising the "instant results" of the treatment.

Members of the Chinese medical team pose with Sierra Leonean medical staff after the TCM seminar. (Photo provided to People's Dail;y Online)

This event marks a significant milestone in the medical team’s mission to promote Chinese traditional culture in Africa. Moving forward, the 27th Chinese medical team plans to continue providing training in TCM skills, practical Chinese language, and traditional culture. The ultimate goal is to build a sustainable, "permanent" local medical force, ensuring that TCM takes root in Sierra Leone to safeguard the health of its people and write a new chapter in China-Sierra Leone friendship.