In the 58 years since its first medical team was sent abroad in 1963, China has sent medical experts to over 70 countries. Since 2014, China has launched Brightness Action programs in some of the Asian, African and Central American countries by sending outstanding Chinese ophthalmologists to perform cataract surgeries and donating advanced eye surgical instruments. These programs have greatly contributed to the improvement of local diagnosis and treatment of cataract.
Doctor Zeng Siming is one of the ophthalmologists having been sent abroad. In 1996, after learning that his hospital, the People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, would put together a medical team to go to the African country of Niger, Doctor Zeng immediately signed up. During his two years in Niger, despite the limited living and working conditions, he performed vision restoration surgeries on more than 500 cataract patients and was awarded a certificate of honor from Niger's Ministry of Public Health for his contribution to China-Niger friendship and cooperation.
Twenty years later, in May 2016, Doctor Zeng went to Africa again. This time, he was heading the Brightness Action program team to the Comoros. For an entire month, Doctor Zeng and 12 team members worked continuously from 8 am to 4 pm every day, making full use of the only medical supplies that were available around that time. They had simple porridge with pickles for lunch in the doctors' lounge just to save every minute possible for the surgeries. By the time their mission was completed, 537 cataract surgeries had been successfully conducted, exceeding the team's given task. The government and people of the Comoros extolled the team's service. Between 2018 and 2019, Doctor Zeng headed three separate medical teams to Kampong Cham Province of Cambodia for cataract surgeries.
Many Chinese doctors have joined the cause like Doctor Zeng. Together they have helped a large number of cataract patients abroad through the Brightness Action programs. A patient once told Doctor Zeng how thankful he was by describing the national flag of China that he saw after regaining eyesight -- "a red flag with five yellow stars." According to these Chinese doctors, nothing is more rewarding than the overwhelming joy of the patients after being able to see again.
Doctor Zeng Siming Treats a Patient.
When it comes to Brightness Action programs, they are often mentioned together with the Peace Ark hospital ship. The Peace Ark is a large, professional hospital ship designed specifically to provide maritime medical support that carries no air-to-sea missiles, artillery or torpedoes. Since it was commissioned 12 years ago, this special warship has provided over 230,000 medical services to people and traveled over 240,000 nautical miles to 43 countries and regions on its nine missions. More than 1,400 surgeries were completed on the ship, helping over 500 cataract patients regain their sight. The Peace Ark is like a dove of peace tirelessly spreading peace and brightness around the world. After being able to see the world again, a Mexican cataract patient who was treated on the Peace Ark said emotionally that the Peace Ark indeed brought peace and the Chinese doctors brought him light.
Since the Peace Ark was commissioned, 38 state or government heads have boarded the ship. They expressed appreciation to the Chinese government and people for their selfless help, noting that the Peace Ark has brought health and happiness to local communities and spoken volumes about the profound friendship between their respective countries and China. As a veteran of Timor-Leste who received treatment on the Peace Ark put it, he felt the blessing of peace on this naval vessel unequipped with missiles or cannons.
With the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the development of a Health Silk Road, Brightness Action programs have become an important part of the Health Silk Road. They have increased the exchanges and deepened the traditional friendship between China and BRI partners. When President Xi Jinping was visiting Laos in November 2017, the China-Laos Brightness Action team was providing free cataract surgeries for Lao people at the Mahosot Hospital in Vientiane. On November 14, accompanied by Lao President Bounnhang Vorachit, President Xi Jinping visited Lao patients at the hospital and met with Chinese ophthalmologists and nurses working there. One of the patients, named Khamsieng, told reporters excitedly that it was the Chinese doctors who helped them regain sight and thanked the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government for sending the doctors.
Xi Jinping Visits a Lao Patient Who Had His Cataract Surgery.
China's foreign medical assistance has been an ongoing process more than just the Brightness Action programs. As a responsible major country, China is committed to building a community with a shared future for mankind, and will continue to provide medical assistance abroad. More and more medical workers like Doctor Zeng will bring hope and brightness to people in other countries and there will be more Peace Arks making journeys for global health on our blue planet.
