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Doctor Gao Shan, 39, associate chief physician of the acupuncture department at Wuhan No 1 Hospital in Hubei province, is one of the 81 members of the 27th Chinese medical team working in Algeria.
Since 1963, the Chinese government, as part of its humanitarian aid program, has sent doctors to offer free medical services in the country, which faces a lack of medical resources. China has sent 3,317 medical staff to Algeria over the years.
The team set off in late August, even though the global pandemic showed no sign of receding. All members come from 58 public medical institutions in Hubei. Doctors specializing in gynecology, obstetrics, anesthesia, surgery and ophthalmology work in 14 hospitals across the country, according to Yang Yong, chief of the team.
Gao works in the traditional Chinese medicine center of Ben Aknoun Hospital. TCM has been recognized by local patients thanks to years of efforts of Chinese doctors. Gao mainly treats patients with acupuncture therapy. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, her work is difficult, but she said she would stick to it.
The following is an excerpt of our interview with her.
Q: How can Algerian patients seek help from you?
Gao: We work five days a week, from Sunday to Thursday. Algerians enjoy free healthcare services in public hospitals. Patients need to register, make an appointment and then get treated. Though it's free, a patient may wait for months to see a doctor. So when the TCM center reopened in September after being suspended for more than a year because of COVID-19, it was soon fully booked.
Q: Why do patients come to you?
Gao: I mainly treat women and children. Patients range from from 5 to 80 years old. Their diseases include chronic pain, insomnia, facial paralysis and irregular menstruation. Some came to nurse their spleens or stomachs or even hope to cure infertility.
Many patients have not received timely treatment. Some told me they felt pain in every part of the body, and hoped we could solve all the problems.
Q: What do locals think of Chinese doctors and TCM?
Gao: I was shocked about how deeply they understand acupuncture and TCM. It must owe to the years of efforts of Chinese doctors here. Their excellent medical skills and professional ethics have gained a good reputation.
Many patients were surprised about the effectiveness of treatment and praised it as if it were magic. A young woman with pain in the right shoulder and arm, told me that her symptoms disappeared after days of treatment, although it required a bit pricking.
Q: What challenges are you facing?
Gao: The first is language. We can speak English and some simple French. But as most patients can only speak Arabic, I have to communicate with them by translation software. For those who are nervous about acupuncture, I touch their hands and pat them on the shoulder to help them relax.
I also prepare beverages and candies in the office for those who didn't have breakfast before the therapy. With an empty stomach, blood sugar can drop during the process. Every time they speak or use body language to express "thank you", I can feel it.
The second is COVID-19. Securing our own health and safety is also an important part of our work here. We have to wear protective suits to avoid infection. And to conduct acupuncture in such suit despite moist and stuffy weather is quite challenging. After a long time, I often get a headache, but we have to stick to it.
The third is food. Green, leafy vegetables are rare and expensive, so we figured out a way to plant them on the balcony. After trying many times using red bricks and soil, we succeeded in bringing green leaves to the table. We barely go outside except for work or shopping. I hope the pandemic can end soon, and we can tour the beautiful country.
I miss my family all the time. We cannot return home even during Spring Festival. I often talk to my family through video, but the network is not always stable. They are supporting power to me.
Q: What has impressed you most so far?
Gao: I remember a woman with facial paralysis who told me that she felt much better after two weeks of treatment. One morning, the woman, the only patient who can speak English in the consulting room, suddenly said all other patients wanted her to say thank you to me for them.
I also expressed my happy feelings. There were many such warm moments. It is really difficult to see a doctor here, but patients have full trust.
Q: How do you view the significance of working here?
Gao: I did feel worried and afraid before going to Algeria because of the virus, and had learned from colleagues about the difficulties of working in Africa. But as a Wuhan local, I saw how helpers from around the world came to assist when the city was hit hardest, and as a medical worker, it's time for me to help people in need.
It has been over 50 years since China sent its first medical team to the country. Now with the risk of the coronavirus, conditions are more complicated. We came here not only to help Algerians with our profession but also to practice China's commitment as a responsible big country. I also want to contribute to the enhancing friendship between the two countries and to building a shared future for China and Africa.
Besides regular work, we have donated medical equipment and protective necessities to two public hospitals. We also organized acupuncture training classes for Algerian medical workers, and popularized health knowledge. I hope to solve real medical problems for them, and expand our cooperation.
About the interviewee
Gao Shan is associate chief physician of the acupuncture department at Wuhan No 1 Hospital in Hubei province. She focuses on research and treatment of chronic pain and nervous system diseases with Chinese and Western methods.
She earned a master's degree from Hubei University of Chinese Medicine in 2008 and began to work at the acupuncture department at Wuhan No 1 Hospital after graduation. She was trained at the Xuanwu Hospital in Beijing from 2013 to 2014. In 2017, she received her doctorate in acupuncture at the university and was promoted to associate chief physician in 2019.
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