The 14th Chinese medical team are in Port Moresby and are set to assist in health mission at the Port Moresby General Hospital.
On December 4th they visited the charitable organization Life PNG Care to conduct a free medical screening for children with congenital heart disease (CHD).
Their objective is early identification and diagnosis of CHD in children to allow for early treatment period.
The team consists of 8 committed healthcare professionals in urologic specialist, a breast specialist, a neurosurgery specialist, surgical nursing specialist and line up professionals in neonatology, cardiology, nephrology and an expert in traditional Chinese medicine specializing in acupuncture and tuina in their respective fields.
It is led by the affiliated Yonggchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University that includes specialist from 4 partnering institutions that are Chongquing Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Chongquig Medical and Pharmaceuatical College, Chongquing University Cancer Hospital and Rongchang People’s hospital.
This initiative allows for the people of Papua New Guinea to experience the benefits of traditional Chinese medical practices.
China’s initial medical aid program in the South Pacific began in 2002, with the Chongqing Municipal Health Commission formally known as Municipal Health Bureau, dispatched by the National government to send medical teams to Papua New Guinea, marking China’s first medical initiative in the South Pacific.
Each medical team comprises 10 members who serve as consultant doctors and nursing experts at the Port Moresby General Hospital.
Chongqing had dispatched 13 batches of medical teams to PNG that total up to 129 personnel by September 2024.
They are an addition to the healthcare workforce in the country in making a significance contribution to quality medical care for all Papua New Guineans, as they are also working with local doctors and nurses to improve the quality of healthcare in Papua New Guinea as well as sharing their knowledge and skills with local health care workers.