NANJING, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- Lin Xiaojun, 43, is a chief physician at the ophthalmology department of Jiangsu Province Hospital in east China. His attachment to Tanzania's Zanzibar dates back to 60 years ago.

The eastern Chinese province and the African island were paired up for medical assistance just as China and Tanzania established diplomatic relations six decades ago. Chinese doctors have been offering much-needed medical assistance and services to local people batch after batch since then.

In 2019, the 29th batch of the Chinese medical aid mission to Africa was assigned to Lin's hospital, and the medical team needed an ophthalmologist. Without much hesitation, Lin volunteered.

For Lin, Zanzibar is not only an island, but also where the memory of two generations of his family lives on. His mother-in-law, Zhou Xiaoyu, went to work in Zanzibar in 1997 on a two-year aid mission, while Zhou's uncle, Zhou Zhiyao, went to Zanzibar in both 1964 and 1977 with Chinese medical teams.

"Working in Zanzibar as a medical team member is kind of a family tradition," said Lin. "My family all supported my decision because they have a special attachment to Zanzibar."

Zhou Xiaoyu, a pediatrician from the Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, was a member of the 17th batch of medical aid teams to serve in Zanzibar. She worked on Pemba Island for two years.

"It's an honor to help alleviate the suffering of African people through medical aid," said Zhou. Her uncle went to Africa by boat and lived in iron-roofed houses in the 1960s and 1970s, but nonetheless went there twice to treat local patients. Zhou was deeply impacted by her uncle's hard work and dedication. "When my son-in-law decided to go to Africa to aid the local people, we all supported him," Zhou said.

In July 2019, Lin officially set foot in Africa as a member of the 29th batch of medical aid teams to serve in Tanzania's semi-autonomous Zanzibar archipelago. He worked at Zanzibar Mnazi Mmoja Hospital.

With the aid of numerous Chinese medical teams, medical conditions in Zanzibar have been significantly improved. However, Zanzibar is close to the sea and surgical instruments are prone to rust, while operations requiring general anesthesia cannot be performed due to a lack of oxygen facilities. Such limited medical resources constantly test Chinese doctors working in this area.

"Working in Africa requires more than just being a doctor. In order to do surgeries that would not be feasible otherwise, we must also adjust to the local environment and come up with many ways to solve the problem," said Lin.

Zanzibar is near the equator, where the sun's ultraviolet rays are very strong, and cataracts are more common there. Before Lin arrived in Zanzibar, retina detachment repair surgery had been suspended for years because of a lack of equipment and surgeons.

In February 2020, a patient came to the ophthalmology clinic for cataract surgery. However, after examination, Lin found that the patient actually had a detached retina in the left eye, while his right eye had undergone previous cataract surgery -- an unsuccessful attempt to implant an intraocular lens.

Limited medical resources in Zanzibar made it difficult for Lin to conduct even routine cataract surgery. After further examination, Lin found that the patient's condition could be treated with scleral buckling surgery. Having determined the necessary surgical method, Lin and his colleagues assembled a set of improvised instruments for the surgery, including silicone rubber blocks and nylon threads they had brought from China. In the end, their improvisation paid dividends with the surgery performed successfully.

Three days after the operation, it was confirmed that the patient's retina had re-attached, resulting in improved vision. The patient was overjoyed, while local doctors drew inspiration from this success.

During his stay in Africa, Lin and his colleagues shifted their focus from offering short-term aid to fostering sustainable medical development. "Our goal is to train more local doctors, so they can advance their skills and operate on their own to treat more patients."

Chinese doctors' dedication and medical skills have earned the trust of local people in Zanzibar. Shortly before Lin was scheduled to conclude his work in Zanzibar and return to China, local medical colleagues threw him a surprise farewell party and wore custom T-shirts with his photo and the words "Goodbye, Dr. Lyn" on them, a gesture which touched Lin deeply.

As China and Africa continue to work towards building a community with a shared future in the new era, including a global community of health for all, Chinese doctors serving on aid missions in Africa have become shining exemplars of this lofty cause.

On Pemba Island, there is a mango tree at the station of the Chinese medical aid team, which was planted by the first Chinese medical aid team sent to Zanzibar.

"When I went there, the tree was already lush with fruits growing, and still witnessing the footprints of one generation after another of Chinese medical teams as well as the long-lasting friendship between China and Africa," Lin said. Enditem

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