On December 23, 2023, Dr. Hongzhi Chen, an associate chief physician from the Department of Oncology of Xi'an Central Hospital, successfully completed a CT-guided lung biopsy from the 10th batch of China (Shaanxi) medical team to aid Malawi. Local doctors Kadoko and Sinyiza observed the whole process. "It's just an ordinary biopsy, but it has a special significance. Dr. Chan said.
Dr. Chan explained that the position was different from the previous ones, providing local doctors with the opportunity to learn more biopsy techniques Xi. The 68-year-old woman's physical condition was poor, with small lesions and a large amount of fluid accumulation in one side of the chest, coupled with the lack of contrast agent in the hospital, the relationship between the tumor and the blood vessels could not be clarified, which greatly increased the difficulty and risk of puncture. To make matters worse, the medical team is about to return home after the Christmas and New Year's holidays, which also means that it may be difficult to find a local doctor who can perform the puncture on the patient, greatly reducing her chances of receiving effective treatment. Eventually, I decided to get the piercing done over the weekend.
Dr. Chen Hongzhi successfully completed a lung biopsy of a critically ill patient
Just the day before, Dr. Chen and Dr. Tan Jing from the team conducted the last operation training for local doctors and nurses before returning to China. He showed the trainees the process of puncture catheterization and CT and ultrasound-guided needle biopsy, and answered the students' questions in detail. Dr. Tan focused on the matters that need to be paid attention to and the operation skills in the process of ultrasound guidance. Dr Tan gave a demonstration using pork, pork liver, lamb ribs and red drink to make his own specimens. "I never thought I would train in such conditions. Dr. Chan sighed. In a place like Malawi, where medical resources are scarce, there are very few access to learning and Xi, and medical resources are extremely scarce.
Dr. Chen Hongzhi conducts operational training for local doctors
During his one-year stay in Africa, Dr. Chen was invited to various departments of the hospital to train local doctors, who were limited by equipment and technology and could only perform superficial biopsies, and deep organ biopsies could only be performed by surgeons for laparotomy. And due to equipment and technology limitations, thoracotomy cannot be performed here, which means that there are almost no biopsies for lung cancer. Now, with Dr. Chan and the biopsy equipment they have purchased, that has changed.
Dr. Chen Hongzhi was invited to give a lecture on the application of biopsy and puncture technique at the Department of Surgery of Mzuzu Hospital
Dr. Chen Hongzhi was invited to give a lecture on the application of biopsy and puncture technology to all the doctors of Mzuzu Hospital
Dr. Tan Hongzhi explains the use of biopsy needles to local surgeons and paediatricians
Poverty is not an option for the people of Malawi, but a consequence they have to endure. Just like the patient who underwent a biopsy today, it took a year to show symptoms, and it took two months to scrape together enough for Luferem Zuzu, which is equivalent to less than 70 yuan for 20,000 kwacha. If it weren't for donations from local doctor Sinyiza and teammate Zeng Qiu, the patient would not have been able to pay for the 25,000 kwacha check-up. Dr. Chen's Mzuzu Central Hospital, the largest hospital in the northern region, does not have a single oncologist, and the only nine chemotherapy drugs are often out of stock. Patients need to wait for monthly specialist consultations to develop a plan, and the availability of medicines is uncertain. Sometimes, patients are treated with chemotherapy without even a diagnosis. "The accuracy of such a treatment is not even as good as guessing the heads and tails of a coin. Dr. Chan was deeply helpless.
After chest catheter drainage and perfusion chemotherapy, the patient's shortness of breath symptoms were immediately relieved, and he happily took a group photo with Dr. Chen
In the face of these challenges, Dr Tan has not flinched. On the contrary, Dr. Chen, together with friends in China, raised more than 70,000 yuan for medical equipment and carried out a series of new technologies and projects in local hospitals. It has created the first cases in four recipient countries, including thoracic and abdominal puncture catheter perfusion chemotherapy, CT/ultrasound-guided needle biopsy, and targeted immunotherapy. These achievements not only enabled the hospital to achieve a breakthrough from zero to one, but also improved the hospital's diagnosis and treatment level and benefited local residents. At the same time, local doctors are trained in the diagnosis and treatment of tumor diseases, so that they can no longer only wait for expert consultation, but can independently formulate some chemotherapy plans, which significantly improves the hospital's diagnosis and treatment of tumors. We have expanded the number of chemotherapy drugs to 36 by assisting in the application for international assistance, bringing hope to local cancer patients. John, the head of the Department of Internal Medicine, has repeatedly expressed his hope that Dr. Chan will continue to stay in the team to improve the level of cancer diagnosis and treatment in the local area. In Africa, where there is nothing, Dr. Chan teaches both fish and fish, and when he is about to return to China, Dr. Chan and his friends donated all the equipment they purchased at their own expense to the local hospital.
Dr. Chen Hongzhi donated biopsy equipment and deep venous puncture kit to Mzuzu Hospital
Dr. Chen Hongzhi's first of four recipient cases at Mzuzu Hospital
"Although the road is far away, it is coming, and although it is difficult to do, it can be done. Dr. Chan illustrates this belief with his actions. Adhering to the spirit of "not afraid of hardship and willing to contribute", he has overcome many difficulties with wisdom and limited resources; illuminated the land of Africa with medical skills and love; and conveyed the friendship and care of the Chinese people with his own actions, showing the demeanor and responsibility of Chinese doctors.
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