Over the past 60 years since China sent medical teams to foreign countries, PKU medical personnel have played an important role. There has been a life-and-death war with Ebola, a brightness trip that lasted for several years, and numerous humanitarian medical aids coming from all over the country, all of which have gathered the kindness, selfless dedication and boundless love of generations of PKU medical professionals.

　　The largest humanitarian medical aid in history, a life-and-death war with Ebola

　　In 2014, a sudden Ebola hemorrhagic fever ravaged West Africa, causing widespread concern around the world. China sent humanitarian medical aid operation of the largest scale in history to Africa. Many medical professionals from PKU Medicine joined the medical team, including Mo Gaiqi from Peking University Third Hospital (PKUTH) and Cao Baoping from Peking University People's Hospital (PKUPH).

　　Through the unremitting efforts of the expert group and the active response of the local health authority, the Ebola epidemic in Guinea was gradually brought under control. Before completing his work and returning home, Bian Jianqiang, Chinese Ambassador to Guinea, met with the expert group and the medical team at the embassy. Ambassador Bian fully affirmed their work, saying that the persistence of the medical team was the greatest support for Guinea.

　　"China brings back my sight!" ---A brightness trip lasting for several years

　　In July 2012, the Fifth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation reviewed and approved the Beijing Action Plan. According to the Plan, in order to deepen China-Africa medical and health cooperation, China will carry out the "Brightness Trip" activity in Africa, provide relevant free treatment for cataract patients and donate medical supplies.

　　PKUFH has sent medical teams to the Caribbean for three times to carry out the cataract surgery mission of "Brightness Trip".

　　As of February 2023, PKUPH has participated in nine missions of African Brightness Trip, restoring sight to patients in five countries. Since 2019, PKUPH has joined in the "the Belt and Road Initiative" and undertaken medical assistance tasks in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and other countries.

　　The "Brightness Trip" is the first time to apply cataract phacoemulsification and foldable intraocular lens to the African continent and also the first time to apply foldable intraocular lens in the history of China's medical aid to Africa. Such large-scale, high-volume and concentrated assistance is the first time in the history of international aid to Africa, which fills the gap in the ophthalmology cause of the whole Africa.

　　During the "Brightness Trip" activity, 576 cataract operations were performed for patients in Botswana, and more than 40 local medical personnel were trained. During the event, Botswana's media reported that ordinary people passed word of mouth, saying, "Thank you! Chinese!"

　　The Chinese medical aid team to Africa was first sent in 1963. Actually, as early as 1962, Professor Feng Chuanhan, an old head of orthopedics at PKUPH, was sent by the Ministry of Health to Somalia in Africa for investigation

　　PKU Medicine has been carrying on the mission of serving the people’s health from generation to generation and as a benevolent envoy, has spread the Chinese doctors' mission to the world.

　　In the future, PKU Medical staff will bear in mind our general secretary's mandate, vigorously carry forward the spirit of the Chinese medical team, which is being heedless of danger and difficulty, being willing to sacrifice, saving the wounded and rescuing the dying and offering boundless love, so as to benefit the local people with benevolence, tell the Chinese stories well with practical actions, and make greater contributions to promoting the construction of a community of common health for mankind.

　　Written by: Wu Zhaoxia

　　Edited by:Liu Xin

　　Source: PKUFH, PKUPH, PKUTH