Doctor heals children in desert city

Mauritanians show appreciation of medical help from China's Heilongjiang province since 1968

On Aug 4, after spending a year providing medical assistance in the Northwest African country of Mauritania, Wang Zhibing returned to his hometown of Harbin, Heilongjiang province.

"When I stepped off the plane, the cool air felt so relaxing, despite it being in the heat of summer," says Wang, who had been experiencing temperatures of 50 C in Africa.

Wang, 45, an associate chief physician in the general surgery department at Harbin Children's Hospital, received more than 1,400 patients and performed hundreds of operations at the hospital in Kiffa, a city in southern Mauritania.

The Mauritanian medical assistance program was launched by Heilongjiang in 1968. To date, more than 800 Chinese medical personnel have been sent to the country in 32 groups.

"The province has a long history of sending medical personnel to Mauritania, but I was the first pediatrician to be invited. When I got the news that the 32nd group would be sent in July last year, I saw participating in the mission as a unique experience," Wang says.

"My wife showed great concern for my safety but was not opposed to the idea. I asked her not to worry about me because I was part of a team and would receive support from our hospital and our country."

However, he said he felt guilty for having left all the family responsibilities to his wife. "Fortunately, my family provided great support and are proud of me for completing the mission successfully," he says.

Before departing, Wang researched Mauritania, especially the city he was going to be posted in.

"I prepared myself for the challenges ahead, from the extreme climatic conditions to the serious epidemics. But when we landed in Kiffa, we were overwhelmed by a series of difficulties beyond our imagination," he says.

"There were mosquitoes and other insects that we had not experienced in China."

Kiffa, with a tropical desert climate, is extremely hot and dry. Adapting to the huge difference in temperature between Harbin and Kiffa was a big challenge. "Sandstorms would start suddenly, without warning."

The extreme natural environment also makes it difficult to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables.

"You can only buy onions, potatoes and cabbage in the local markets," Wang says. "Every month we had the chance to buy something else, such as peppers, tomatoes and Chinese chives, from the national capital of Nouakchott, which is 700 kilometers away."

However, after several hours' driving in extremely hot temperatures, the vegetables would shrivel and had to be eaten within a week.

Chinese doctors are warmly welcomed by local residents.

"In their eyes, Chinese doctors can save lives under any circumstances," says Wang, adding that almost everyone there can say "Hello, Chinese doctor" in Chinese.

Due to the high temperatures and the huge number of flies, many outpatients have diarrhea, especially between April and October.

"I remember during a night shift, I received six children who had diarrhea, and one of them was in critical condition due to severe dehydration," Wang says.

"After treating him, I was able to save his life and, before he left, the little boy came and said goodbye to me in Chinese."

Anemia is common among children in the city due to the shortage of fresh vegetables and the vast number of parasites.

"There are also many children with night blindness," he says. "I felt pity when I saw their beautiful eyes and knew their suffering was a long-term issue."

In addition to his daily work as a pediatrician, Wang often provided treatment for adult patients and gave obstetric nurses courses on how to treat newborns.

"In the past year, I have felt honored to be Chinese. I received great trust and respect from the locals, who showed their appreciation for the assistance from China," Wang says.

zhouhuiying@chinadaily.com.cn