Chinahasannouncedplanstosendmedicalteamstoprovidefreesurgeryto3,000cataractpatientsinsixcountriesinvolvedintheBeltandRoadInitiativeinthenextthreeyears.
Kazakhstanwillbethefirstcountrytobenefitfromtheprogram,withtheotherfivestilltobeconfirmed,theChineseFoundationforLifelineExpresssaid.
NellieFong,headofthefoundation,saidthefirstmedicalteamwillheadtoKazakhstanthismonth.
Inadditiontofreesurgery,shesaid,Chineseexpertswillalsotraintwolocaldoctorsineachcountrytoimprovetheirtreatmentcapabilities.
Undertheprogram,ChinawillhelpbuildLifelineExpresseyecentersinthesixcountries.
“ThemedicalaidisexpectedtobringahigherqualityoflifetomorepeopleincountriesalongtheBeltandRoad,”saidLiMingzhu,aninspectorwiththeNationalHealthCommission’sInternationalDepartment.
AccordingtoLi,theotherfivecountrieswillbejointlyrecommendedbythefoundation,thecommission,theMinistryofForeignAffairsandtheMinistryofCommerce.CountriesinvolvedintheSilkRoadEconomicBeltand21stCenturyMaritimeSilkRoadwillbegivenpriority.
Tosupportthethree-yearprogram,thefoundationlaunchedanationwidedonationplan,aimingtocollectatotalof28millionyuan($4.1million).
Since2016,thefoundationhassentmedicalteamstoSriLanka,MyanmarandPakistan,treatingatotalof1,502cataractpatients.
“Thepatientswerefromthepoorestplacesinthosecountries.Powersupplieswereunstable.Oncewecompletedasurgicalprocedureeventhoughwelostelectricityeighttimes,”saidZhaoChan,adoctorwhowaspartofateamsenttoSriLankain2016.
“Thenumberofsurgerieswecanperforminayearislimited,butweaimtotrainlocaldoctorsduringourvisits,whichwillbenefitmorepatients,”Zhaosaid.
Thefoundation,establishedin1997,hashelpedmorethan197,700peopleinChina’s28provincesandautonomousregions,andhasbuilt80LifelineExpresseyecentersnationwide,whichalsoprovidetrainingfordoctorsfromlocalhospitalsinthetreatmentofcommoneyeailments.
InApril,fourrainbow-coloredtrains,retrofittedasmobilehospitalsandcarryinghigh-techsurgicalequipmentandexperienceddoctors,departedBeijingonaneight-monthmissiontohelpthousandsofpeoplearoundChinaregaintheirsight.
Thisyear’splancoversninecities,aswellastheYiliKazakautonomousprefectureintheXinjiangUygurautonomousregion.
Thankstothemedicalhelp,friendshipsbetweenChinaandcountriesassociatedwiththeBRIwillbestrengthened,accordingtoLeAimei,apovertyalleviationambassadorfortheForeignMinistrywhoworksonpublichealthissues.
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