In the operating room

After 23 hours on a plane, the Chinese medical team landed in Lilongwe, Malawi's capital. They rested for an hour and then went to the city's largest hospital, Kumazu Central Hospital, to start preparations. They installed medical equipment, sterilized the operating room and screened patients, without a break until 9 o'clock that evening.

The next day was unusually busy. The doctors were divided into groups. Three operation beds, three microscopes, and three cataract surgery instruments were simultaneously in use. How to make the most of every minute and best cooperate was what concerned the team most. Constant mutual adjustment and coordinating gradually took effect, with surgeries performed increasing from 40 to 100 daily over time.

Although busy in surgery each day, Chinese doctors were gratified when they saw the excitement on patients' faces post-operation. "We know that our efforts have helped relieve not only the pain of those patients, but also their families' burdens since they can now [spend] more time working instead of looking after them," said Yang Xiaohui, a doctor from Beijing Tongren Hospital, China's largest ophthalmology center.

New model binding China & Africa

"This is the first time Chinese enterprises are going to Africa to hold such large-scale activities. [They are] pioneering a new model for China-Africa mutual support," said Li Liqing, Deputy Secretary General of the China NGO Network for International Exchanges (CNIE).

Co-sponsored by several NGOs like the CNIE and the China Association for Promoting Democracy and domestic enterprises like Hainan Airlines (HNAIR) and the Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Co. (AFECC), the program in Africa is the largest of its kind. HNAIR offered free chartered flights for the medical team, while the AFECC covered all accommodation and medicine costs for the team in Africa.

Chen Feng, HNAIR's Board Chairman, said that Chinese enterprises have made rapid achievements in Africa through local governmental support. This medical initiative was an opportunity to return the favor.

Dr. Yang noted that from a medical perspective, what African countries lack most is staff. For instance, Zimbabwe is the sponsored country under the WHO's 1999 "Vision 2020" program. As part of the program, it was given sophisticated microscopes and surgical instruments, but since no one knew how to use them they remained unpacked. "In this case, it may be more helpful to give more basic equipment. To realize total blindness elimination by the year 2020, [medical] training is the most urgent task for African nations," said Yang.

Pan Hejun, China's Ambassador to Malawi, pointed out that the right to sight is an important human right. The Chinese Government will continue to help African countries to eliminate cataracts through ophthalmologist exchange programs, and the governments of Malawi and Zimbabwe have expressed a wish to turn the "China-Africa Brightness Action" into a regular exchange opportunity.

"Both China and Africa hope the program can be sustained, but the key is raising enough money," explained Li of the CNIE. She is appealing to more Chinese enterprises to join the program. Han Demin, NBPG's director and a dean at Beijing Tongren Hospital, said that if the program can be regularized, it will give greater benefits to African people.