Third Chinese medical team to Barbados completes first surgery on 15th

On July 25, 2018, the third Chinese (Chongqing) medical team to Barbados arrived in the country.

On August 8, Dr. Hu, of the nephrology department of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, performed two autologous arteriovenous fistula surgeries, with support from QEH doctors. With that operation the third medical team set a record of completing the first surgery within 15 days of arrival, and realized a seamless transition of work from the preceding team.

Dr. Fu Qining in surgery

“When we first arrive at QEH, the local doctors thought we were here just for an exchange trip,” said Dr. Luo Shijiao, head of the first Chinese medical team to Barbados.

Barbados, known as “the backyard to Europe and America”, is a Caribbean nation that many in China have not heard of. According to the World Bank and International Monetary Fund ranking, Barbados ranked 46th by GDP per capital globally in 2017. It is one of the developed countries. Barbadians may not know too much about China's development as well.

The first team under Dr Luo took the initiative to seek communications and collaboration with the local teams and spent every minute possible in the operating room even when they were not engaged in operating. It was not until the local surgeon ran into a problem and asked the Chinese doctors present “do you want to try?” though he was probably thinking “it is unlikely that you can do what I cannot”. Dr. Luo took the opportunity and addressed the problem perfectly.

Since then, the Chinese surgeons have won opportunities to operate along with the local doctors. With excellent skills and high professional ethics, they soon earned the trust and approval of local doctors.

CCTV 4 covering the story of the first surgery performed by Dr. Luo Xiaoji, a member of the first medical team, in Barbados.

Eight members of the second medical team to Barbados further enhanced collaboration with the local doctors to help with their expertise and skills. They performed surgeries and introduced new techniques to the QEH, which won them high appraisal of the Barbados Ministry of Health, EQH doctors, and local patients.

In mid-July, the first short-term expert delegation, organized by the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Health and Family Planning and the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, visited Barbados. The expert delegation, led by deputy director of the municipal commission, with support from Prof. Huang Wei from the orthopaedics department and Associate Prof. Cheng Jun from the vascular surgery department of the First Affiliated Hospital, performed six demonstration surgeries in six days, including a total knee replacement and endovascular interventional therapy for lower extremity arteriosclerosis obliteration in vascular surgery, which were much-needed operational skills in Barbados. The delegation also offered specific training on skills required for orthopaedics and vascular surgery to the QEH staff, which has contributed to enhanced recognition of the expertise of the Chinese doctors from local staff and patients.

Chinese expert delegation and local doctors visiting the patient and family members after completion of surgery

“According to a member of the second medical team Yang Liu, a nurse from the nephrology department of First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, QEH was overwhelmed with dialysis patients, so the management was extensive and even loose. Since we had doctors specializing in blood access in the team, and also Dr. Yan Cheng from the nuclear medicine department of Chongqing Emergency Center, they can perform imaging of parathyroid bodies. We hope that we can help standardize dialysis management at QEH, and further enhance care for dialysis patients on the basis of work done by the previous teams,” said Dr. Hu Tinghai.

Dr. Hu Tinghai assessing patient's condition

Dr. Sun Yang, a member of the third team, said that “we can perform vasculopathy checks for vascular surgery, assess the vascular conditions for construction hemodialysis pathway, and undertake rapid ultrasonography for Dr. He Ping of the department of traumatology of the city’s emergency center. Also in the team, Xie Jie and Liu Zhenzhen, nursing specialists from the Neonatal Clinic Center of Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, can help with screening and detection of congenital heart diseases in newborns. The combined strength of the team makes a strong drive.”

Dr. Sunyan performing a pre-surgery ultrasound check on a patient

“In recognition of excellent job by the first two teams and the expert delegation, four doctors from Barbados have applied for short-term visits to the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University. It is a requirement by the National and Municipal Health and Family Planning Commissions that medical aid effort should not only demonstrate high medical expertise of Chinese doctors and enhance overall medical concepts locally, but also cultivate high-level local doctors, improve training ability of local hospitals, and maintain long-term Chinese medical influence in Barbados.” According to a member of the third team, Dr. Wang Dong from the medical ultrasonics department of the First Affiliated Hospital, “on the solid basis established by the previous teams, the third team will further enhance work in multiple areas such as training, attract more local doctors to come to China for study trips, improve local medical management, capitalize on the diversified research background of the third team, and launch international research cooperation. We aim to meet the nation's requirements from these perspectives.”