Cai Guiyang, the leader of the 22nd batch of the Chinese medical team, prepares to perform a surgery on a patient at an operating room of Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital in Banjul, capital of Gambia, on March 12, 2025. (Xinhua/Si Yuan)
by Si Yuan
BANJUL, March 14 (Xinhua) -- At the rehabilitation clinic of Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital in Banjul, the capital of The Gambia, a patient winced briefly when thin acupuncture needles were eased into her legs.
This was the patient's first acupuncture treatment, but the relief was almost instant.
"My mother-in-law is 63 years old. She used to suffer from severe knee pain, sometimes making it impossible for her to walk," said Ebrima Bah, the patient's son-in-law. "Since receiving acupuncture treatment, her pain has significantly reduced, and walking has become much easier."
The acupuncturist, 38-year-old Gao Shiqi, is a member of the Chinese medical team in The Gambia, a country known as the "Smiling Coast" of West Africa.
Bah is grateful to Chinese doctors for also treating his son, who suffered almost constant back pain. The boy, now 18, is back in school after acupuncture sessions greatly improved his condition.
At Edward Francis Small, Gao and nine other members of the 22nd batch of the Chinese medical team work with Gambian colleagues in consultation rooms and operating theaters, providing health and warmth to locals with professionalism and compassion.
China dispatched its first batch of medical professionals to The Gambia in 1977.
Since their arrival last July, Gao and his Chinese colleagues have treated over 2,000 patients and performed more than 200 surgeries and surgical training sessions. They have also promoted traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) techniques like acupuncture.
"Their performance is exemplary," said Mustapha Bittaye, the hospital's chief executive officer (CEO).
Bittaye, himself an obstetrician-gynecologist, praised the Chinese colleagues for their diligence, saying that beyond providing medical services, they also train local healthcare workers, donate medical equipment, and help enhance the hospital's capabilities.
He said that laparoscopic surgery, once unavailable in The Gambia, has now become a routine procedure at Edward Francis Small, thanks to the Chinese team's support.
At one operating room, Cai Guiyang, the leader of the current Chinese medical team, was performing a laparoscopic surgery on an infertility patient, with the assistance of local colleagues.
Under bright surgical lights, Cai maneuvered the endoscopic devices with precision, looking at images on the monitor. Surrounding him, Gambian medical students watched intently, occasionally whispering to each other and taking notes as Cai explained the procedure and guided them in handling the instruments.
"Our goal is not only to provide medical care for Gambian patients but also to equip the local healthcare system with sustainable development capabilities through technical training, talent cultivation, and equipment support," said Cai, 42.
Over the past eight months, in addition to routine clinical work, Cai and his team have conducted multiple outreach programs, bringing free medical services to both urban and rural communities across The Gambia. More than 700 people have benefited from these initiatives.
Furthermore, Edward Francis Small has established a partnership with Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University. The collaboration includes academic exchanges and remote training sessions.
"This partnership is extremely beneficial. We have learned a great deal about advanced medical techniques and hospital management from our Chinese colleagues," said Bittaye, the hospital's CEO. ■
This photo provided by the 22nd batch of the Chinese medical team shows members of the medical team offering free medical services in Banjul, capital of Gambia, on Sept. 13, 2024. (Xinhua)
Gao Shiqi, a member of the 22nd batch of the Chinese medical team, performs acupuncture at the rehabilitation clinic of Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital in Banjul, capital of Gambia, on March 12, 2025. (Xinhua/Si Yuan)
An aerial drone photo taken on March 12, 2025 shows a view of Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital in Banjul, capital of Gambia. (Xinhua/Si Yuan)