Mari Kabokia (center), Zhou Limin, Chinese Ambassador to Kiribati (5th from left), Kiribati's President Taneti Maamau (5th from right), take a group picture with Chinese medical team at the Chinese Embassy to Kiribati on February 3, 2024. Photo: courtesy of Chinese medical team to Kiribati

"Thank you Chinese medical team for the immediate help for saving my life, and I wish and hope that the friendship between Kiribati and China to last forever," Mari Kabokia, a 25-year-old Kiribati girl who experienced a sudden heart arrest on the first day of the New Year and timely saved by a Chinese medical aid team, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

"My name is Mari Kabokia and my Chinese name is Lili and it is my pleasure to share the story of my life which is being saved by the Chinese medical team," Mari wrote to the Global Times. 

At an event on January 1 to celebrate the New Year at the Kiribati capital city of Tarawa, Mari experienced a sudden cardiac arrest. The third deployment of Chinese medical aid workers to Kiribati, who were also at the event, noticed the incident and quickly acted to her rescue.

Following examination, the medical team concluded that the combination of high temperatures and sustained intense dancing caused Mari to suffer from heatstroke, excessive sweating leading to shock, and sudden cardiac arrest.

"For that time I felt and remembered nothing which means I lost consciousness, all I know is when I wake up, I was surrounded by the Chinese medical team, whereas I was leaning to my mother in law," Mari recalled.

I was told that my heart stopped beating about more than half an hour, as well with my pulse, Mari said. "China Medical Team immediately came to me and performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation for me giving their best for saving my life."

"From now on, the Chinese medical team are my brothers and sisters. THANK YOU CHINA MEDICAL TEAM for your help and I wish and hope that the friendship between Kiribati and China to last forever," Mari wrote to the Global Times on Wednesday. 

Commending the medical team's excellent performance, Zhou Limin, Chinese Ambassador to Kiribati, wrote that "Over the past year, the overseas Chinese in Kiribati, these descendants of the Dragon, have been rooted in communities, striving for success, building careers in their respective fields, and playing an active role in promoting China-Kiribati friendship and cooperation."

A thank you note for the Chinese medical team by Mari Kabokia. Photo: courtesy of Mari Kabokia

I would like to pay my sincere respect to all of you. There are many  stories of love and friendship. Recently, the Chinese doctors provided emergency resuscitation to a young girl, saving her life. They went on to develop  a deep friendship, Zhou wrote.

Throughout this period, the medical team has been deeply concerned about Mari's health, maintaining close contact with her. "On February 3, We visited Mary's home again to bring couplets, extend Lunar New Year greetings, and gave her a Chinese name 'Lili'," Wang Zhanqing, captain of the third deployment of Chinese medical workers to Kiribati, told the Global Times.  

Mari said that the members of the medical team are like family to her and once again expressed her gratitude to them.

The Chinese medical aid team to Kiribati has been providing medical assistance at the Tungaru Central Hospital in Tarawa, the capital of Kiribati, since June 2022. The third group of the medical team arrived in Kiribati on December 9, 2023, to  continue this gesture of goodwill. 

To date, the three  medical teams have collectively treated 9,337 outpatients, 4,542 inpatients, provided emergency care to 646 critically ill patients, administered anesthesia to 1,484 individuals, performed 35 surgeries, conducted ultrasound examinations on 5,587 individuals, CT scans on 922 individuals, X-rays on 158 individuals, conducted 13 free clinics, served 989 individuals during free clinics, and provided training to 378 local medical personnel.

China and Kiribati resumed diplomatic relations in September 2019 on the basis of the one-China policy, 2024 will mark the 5th anniversary of the resumption of ties.