Deng Xiaomin, deputy chief physician of the Ultrasound Department at Jinhua Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, is a member of the 27th batch of the Chinese medical team from Zhejiang formed to assist Mali. On October 2, 2020, the 27th batch of medical aid to Mali set off to the Republic of Mali for an international mission of medical aid for a 18-month term.

On a Thousand-Mile Trip for a Common Destiny

In Mali, Deng Xiaomin was located in one of the top three hospitals in the fight against COVID-19. Upon arrival, Deng and his colleagues found the country in a severe pandemic outbreak. The pandemic threat was still quite severe, which made Deng’s mission a very risky one. Nonetheless, every time Deng took care of a child and he or she thanked Deng with a heartfelt “merci,” he felt affection and determination: “Facing the pandemic, our destiny is linked together. Although I have limits in what I do, I do my best to help the local population and won’t disappoint the national flag I have on my uniforms.”

Give a Man a Fish or Teach Him How to Fish

Deng Xiaomin was the only B-ultrasound specialist in Mali Hospital. Once in Mali, Deng Xiaomin started to train three local medical interns. Later, other apprentices asked Deng to be their trainer. At work, Deng was regularly surrounded by seven or eight doctors in the tiny ultrasound room, which became one of the most lively departments in the hospital. After work, Deng took the initiative to give extra lessons, sharing individual experiences and diagnosis to improve the collective knowledge and skills of his colleagues. Soon, Deng was leading a group of Malian apprentices who could themselves perform B-ultrasound diagnoses of common diseases.

Unbounded Care Crosses National Borders

While Deng and his colleagues were in Mali, the local political situation continued to be turbulent. But every time some of the medical team went out, Deng could clearly feel the friendliness of the locals. Some people would greet the medical team with a thumbs up, and others would speak to the team in Chinese words like “China” and “thank you.”

During his stay in Mali, both national affairs and his own family affairs were unforgettable for Deng. While he and his colleagues healed Mali patients, his family at home continued to receive care and help. On December 25, 2020, his youngest son Chenchen, who was born in Jinhua Hospital of TCM, was diagnosed with a rare disease. Aware of this, the team leader Zhu Danjie notified the Zhejiang Provincial Health Commission to explain the situation, and connected with authoritative experts in related fields at home and abroad to consult. Leaders of the Provincial Health Commission attached great importance to Deng’s matter and offered as much help as possible for Chenchen’s condition. Thanks to the enthusiastic help of hospitals and colleagues, Chenchen got timely medical treatment.

“As a Chinese doctor, the needs of the homeland come first. I appreciate the help that everybody offered, which spared me from worrying excessively,” explained Deng. He believes that the best reward is to work in Mali with peace of mind and practice the spirit of the Chinese medical team in international aid: dedicated and unafraid of hardships, working to heal the wounded and save lives, and caring for the world without boundaries.

This year marks the 53rd anniversary of China’s dispatch of a medical team to Mali and the 10th anniversary of the completion of the Mali Hospital aided by the Chinese government. Zhejiang has successively sent 27 batches of medical teams to Mali, a total of 872 people. (Translated by Marco Lovisetto, edited by Mariam Ayad)