Monrovia — It was a joyful moment yet again for citizens in Wee Statutory District over the weekend, when a medical team from the Embassy of The People’s Republic of China visited the district to provide free diagnosis and treatment of various medical complications.
Report By: Jerry Gaye | LVL Reporter
The Chinese Medical team’s presence in the district was at the request of Representative Vicente S. T. Willie II, who sees the initiative as a good-will from the government and people of China whom he described as his good friends.
The recent visit is the second time the Chinese free clinic has benefited the people of the district since 2022, on the invite of Grand Bassa County Electoral District #4 Representative Vicente Willie.
Wee Statutory District is the second most populated district in Grand Bassa and the largest in land size with three administrative districts. The District is located outside of Buchanan (Capital of Grand Bassa County) in the hinterland. Malaria and hypertension cases are on the increase, thus risking the lives of inhabitants. There are reports of the shortages of essential drugs at the already limited and underequipped public medical facilities in the area.
The medical outreach, according to the citizens, will greatly help them as lack of essential drugs at various public health facilities in the district continues to hamper their wellbeing.
After a careful analysis of health conditions of patients in the district, the Chinese medical team adjusted the types of drugs to take to the people of the area. The team carried along several drugs including antihypertensive drugs, antibiotics, antimalarial drugs, antipyretic analgesics and Huoxiang zhengqi capsule, Shufeng jiedu capsule and other Chinese patent medicine.
A total of about 400 patients were treated from different cases with more than 600 boxes of various drugs and more than 500 copies of various health promotion products donated to the two main public health facilities (Gorblee and Barsegiah Town health centers).
Several traditional midwives, who had undergone training at the Gorblee Health Center, also received donations in medical supplies from the outreach.
The jubilant citizens, many of whom had traveled from far distances across the three administrative districts in the area lauded the government and people of the Republic of China for accepting the invitation from the District Representative, Vicente S. T. Willie. Willie had been pushing for the Chinese medical team to provide free treatment for his constituents.
One of the community inhabitants who spoke to the press appreciated the Chinese doctors for going into the district again to help them. She said, “I came in line early for the Chinese doctors to treat me; they say I get malaria and they gave me and my family antimalarial drugs and told us how to prevent malaria”.
Another inhabitant, a 46-year-old only identified as Garpue, praised Representative Willie and the team of Chinese medics, for coming to their aid, noting that “a Chinese doctor treat my eyes and gave me some free medicine, so that I would not go blind. Thanks really very much.”
Representative Willie also thanked the Chinese medics for accepting his invitation to treat residents of his district from different health complications free of charge.
“Last year, the China medical team’s free clinic here caused widespread concern and a huge sensation. Residents have a strong desire and call for the Chinese doctors to come to the clinic again,” said Rep. Willie.
He was thrilled that the Chinese medical doctors drove more than four hours from Monrovia to deliver the “precious” medicine to his people whom he said were in dying need of the medication. Their actions according to him “fully show that China is sincerely helping us, and they show that China is a responsible major country in the international community.”
Meanwhile, the Chargé d’affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Liberia, Mr. Xu Kun has underscored the importance of the initiative and was delighted by the overwhelming support from the citizens who turned out to receive the treatment. He noted that “this year marks the 60th anniversary of China sending medical teams to developing countries and we, together with Mr. Willie and the Governor came to visit the medical team”.
The Chinese diplomat used the occasion to sincerely thank every member of the team for their outstanding contributions to building a China-Africa human health community and promoting China-Liberia relations, hoping that they will keep in mind President Xi’s instructions to continue bilateral health exchanges and the relations between the two countries.