A thread of hope

Mission possible

As director of the Union Hospital's clinical laboratory department, she accepted an important mission at a critical moment during the sudden COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan.

She had just given birth to her daughter, and had worked without rest with her colleagues to establish the hospital's nucleic acid testing laboratory in under two days, which is still in use.

The difficulty was the lack of equipment, the heavy workload and great pressure. She says they were able to put up with such hardships due to their strong will.

The laboratory received about 6,000 to 7,000 samples most per day, and all were single-person inspections because they were from patients. At that time, the most urgent was diagnosis.

Her team of over 30 people worked day and night and the equipment was always on, during the city's 76-day lockdown. The laboratory undertook the most of nucleic acid tests in the province.

They've also done research about the detection technology of COVID-19 and established a predictive model.

"Those who inspect the nucleic acid tests are working in anonymity, facing the virus directly, like invisible heroes and heroines. At the critical moment, medical professionals have to step forward with courage," she says.

They had to wear heavy protective apparel and exposed themselves to possible aerosol infection because, at the time, there was no P2 laboratory that ensured biosafety.

She says now they have better equipment and protective gear. For patients in critical condition, they offer a fast method to test.

"No matter whether it is cutting-edge technology or pandemic prevention work, my mission is always to meet the demand of my patients and our country," she says.

"It's a doctor's duty to heal the wounded and rescue the dying. I like being a doctor and it's the right profession for me. I'm able to work under great pressure and concentrate on my duty, and I always maintain an enthusiasm for study."