JUBA, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- Agness Alison Nunu, a 38-year-old mother of six, had suspended her small business of selling snacks due to her child's condition, until the arrival of a Chinese medical team in her residential suburb in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.
On Dec. 6, a medical outreach program at Gurei Primary Health Care Center (PHCC) by the 13th batch of the Chinese medical team gave Nunua a glimmer of hope as she sought urgent treatment for her child, who was in critical condition with malaria.
"I came here to seek treatment for my child, who was very sick. When the child fell sick last week, I had to stop working," Nunu told Xinhua during an interview.
Nunu's child was among the hundreds of patients examined and treated free of charge by the Chinese medical team, at a time when economic hardship left many households struggling to access medical care.
Gurei PHCC had undergone medicine stock-outs for the past four months, according to Yolanda Idre Besiriano, a clinical officer and the facility's deputy director.
"Many people have come to get treatment, because in the past four months, we have run out of medicine." Yolanda disclosed, adding that the arrival of the Chinese medical team has helped mitigate the suffering of her community.
Lucia Bullen, a 38-year-old mother of five, said she had endured severe skin itching for the past nine months but had never sought treatment because of financial constraints.
A friend informed Bullen of the arrival of the Chinese medical team to Gurei.
"When I was told by a friend that the Chinese medical team was coming to Gurei, I rushed to get treatment," Bullen said. "I got the medicine, and I appreciate the government of South Sudan for partnering with the Chinese medical team."
Similarly, Dawa Joyce, a 28-year-old mother of four, described her sense of helplessness after two of her children fell ill. They were both suffering from stomach complications and eye infections.
"We appreciate the Chinese medical team because our situation is really bad; we cannot afford timely medication," said Joyce.
Zhang Erqing, head of the 13th batch of the Chinese medical team, said that they will continue to carry out more medical outreaches in other parts of South Sudan, as a sign of the continuation of the work carried out by previous teams.
"Today, many local residents heard that the Chinese medical team was here to help, so they came to us because they trust us," Zhang said.
The Chinese medical team provided critical medical services such as rapid testing for malaria, testing for blood pressure, blood sugar, and other conditions.
"We not only provide medical services at Juba Teaching Hospital, but also bring them to remote areas. We came to Gurei PHCC because we care about this community, and next time we will reach out to other communities as well," Zhang added. ■
