By Feng Qirong

‘We are back!’At 10:20 am on 26th September, at the exit of terminal 1 of Shanghai Pudong International Airport, 16 foreign aid medical team members wearing distinctive yellow jackets with national flags embroidered on their chests waved to their‘relatives’who came to pick them up at the airport.After one year, over ten thousand miles, the 20th China (Jiangsu) Medical Team to Guyana returned home safely.Representatives from Nantong Municipal Health Commission and the dispatching organization arrived at the terminal with flowers in their hands to greet the triumphant foreign aid medical team members.

The 20th China (Jiangsu) Medical Team to Guyana consists of 16 members from Nantong First People’s Hospital, the Second People’s Hospital of Nantong, etc., covering multiple professional fields including general surgery, orthopedics, and obstetrics and gynecology.

‘We are so happy to see our“family”as soon as we get off the plane.It feels so warm!In the past year, we have lost weight, our skin has darkened, and our hair has grayed, but our hearts are as warm as ever!’Du Boxiang, the leader of the medical team, couldn’t help but smile as he accepted the flowers.

Since 1993, China has continuously dispatched 20 medical teams to Guyana, and has continued to provide medical and health support to the country.Since they arrived in Guyana in September 2024, the 20th China (Jiangsu) Medical Aid Team to Guyana has been working at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation(GPHC) and the Linden Hospital Complex(LHC). Over the past year, the medical team has successfully transformed its medical assistance efforts from a‘blood transfusion’model to a‘blood-making’model through diverse initiatives, including clinical technology empowerment, talent development, and free clinics. During their time in the country, the team has seen 11,130 outpatients, performed 2,034 surgeries, successfully treated 155 critically ill patients, and provided Traditional Chinese Medicine consultations and treatment to 2,898 patients.

Apart from that, the medical team has actively introduced more than 100 various types of new techn0ologies, carried out more than 140 clinical training sessions. Fluorescent laparoscopic technology, electronic analgesia pump technology for childbirth, minimally invasive acetabular fracture surgery, trauma scar repair and reconstruction technology and many other technologies have successfully filled many gaps in the local medical field and effectively promoted Guyana's medical and health level to a new level.

Nantong's foreign medical aid program has a glorious history andgoodtradition. Since 1966, 45 medical peoplehave successfully completed foreign medical aid missions in countries such as Zanzibar, Malta, and Guyana.

The reporter learnt that on the evening of 22nd September, the other 6 members of the 20th China (Jiangsu) Medical Team to Guyana also returned home smoothly. 3 of them were dispatched by Nantong, including Tang Limei, Deputy Chief Physician of Acupuncture Department and Cao Ying, Chinese Medicine Practitioner of Tuina Department of Nantong Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Zhou Wenting, a lecturer of Nantong Health College of Jiangsu Province.In the past one year, they have provided professional medical services to Malta people with their superb traditional Chinese medicine skills and excellent medical ethics, and actively promoted various medical aid work in Malta.

It is learnt that after a one-month vacation, after the medical team members fully adjust their physical and mental state, they will return to work.

【背景阅读】

南通16名援圭医疗队员载誉归乡

“我们回来啦！”9月26日上午10点20分，在上海浦东机场1号航站楼出站口，16名身着鲜明黄色外套、胸前绣有国旗的援外医疗队员向前来接机的“亲人”们挥手致意。历时一年，跨越万里，中国（江苏）第20期援圭亚那医疗队顺利回国，南通市卫健委和派出单位代表手捧鲜花到站迎接，向凯旋的援外医疗队员致敬。

第20期中国(江苏)援圭亚那医疗队由南通市第一人民医院、南通市第二人民医院等单位的16名队员组成，涵盖普外科、骨科、妇产科等多个专业领域。

“太开心了，一下飞机就能见到’亲人’，感觉特别温暖！这一年，我们体重轻了，皮肤黑了，头发白了，但我们的心是火热的！”接过鲜花，医疗队队长杜伯祥的脸上洋溢着止不住的笑容。

自1993年起，中国已连续向圭亚那派遣了20批医疗队，持续为该国提供医疗卫生支持。自2024年9月抵圭以来，第20期中国（江苏）援圭亚那医疗队分别在乔治敦公立总医院(GPHC)和林登医院(LHC)开展工作。一年来，医疗队在当地通过临床技术赋能、人才培养、义诊巡诊等多元化举措，成功推动医疗援助工作从“输血式”向“造血式”转变。援外期间，医疗队累计接诊门诊患者11130人次，完成手术2034台，成功救治危重患者155人次，开展中医诊疗2898人次。

此外，医疗队积极引入100多项各类新技术，开展140余次临床培训，其中荧光腹腔镜技术、用于分娩的电子镇痛泵技术、微创髋臼骨折手术、创伤疤痕修复重建技术等多项技术，成功填补了当地医疗领域的多项空白，切实推动圭亚那医疗卫生水平迈上新台阶。

南通援外医疗事业具有光荣历史和优良传统。自1966年起，先后已有45人次圆满完成了赴桑给巴尔、马耳他、圭亚那等国的援外医疗任务。

记者了解到，9月22日晚，中国（江苏）第20期援马耳他医疗队的6名队员也先行顺利回国。其中3人由南通派出，分别是南通市中医院的针灸科副主任医师唐李梅、推拿科主治中医师曹颖和南通卫生健康职业学院讲师周雯婷。一年来，他们以高超中医技术和优良医德为马耳他民众提供专业医疗服务，积极推进援马医疗各项工作。

据悉，接下来，医疗队员们将在一个月的休假后，全面调整好身心状态，再次回到工作岗位。