Feature: Chinese medical experts bolster Uganda's provision of health care

After a hard day's work, Deng Xiaoming sinks into the chair at his residence a few meters away from his work place, China-Uganda Friendship Hospital.

Thousands of kilometers away from family, a wife and a lovely daughter, Deng is deep in Africa providing health care where it is much needed.

Every morning, patients queue at the China-Uganda Friendship Hospital in Uganda's capital Kampala waiting to be treated by Deng and his team of five medical experts.

"As a doctor, my duty is to treat the patients. If the patients are there, then we need to work hard. We are trying our best to treat ordinary Ugandans," Deng told Xinhua in a recent interview. On average every day Deng sees over 40 patients.

Deng is heading a team of medical volunteers who have just been sent to Uganda by China to provide their expertise for a period of two years. Deng's team is the 15th medical team that has been sent to Uganda since 1983.

The experts vary from Urologists, gynecologists, orthopedics, Ear Nose and Throat specialist, acupuncture among others.

"They bring in new expertise and knowledge in different health areas. We continue to receive tremendous support and commitment from the Chinese government. Their investment in our health sector is very fruitful," Asuman Lukwago, a top official at Uganda's ministry of health said.

For Deng, this is the second time he is coming to Uganda after 20 years when he came to the country as medical volunteer.

In his daily work, Deng said his soul is uplifted when he treats a patient who has been badly off. His mood is also dampened when he knows he can work on a patient but he is disabled because of lack of the necessary equipment.

He also argued that there is a lot of Chinese medicines that can be used to cure some of the diseases in Uganda but the medicines cannot be used because of the differences in standards.

Uganda mainly follows the European standards, meaning that for the Chinese medicines and equipment have to be pre-qualified by global health bodies which are mainly Eurocentric.

Deng argued that the irony is that some of the drugs made in Europe, especially the anti-malarials, have ingredients from China.

He said in view of this conflict in standards, Uganda faces the challenge of providing the necessary equipment and drugs.

Over the years, the Chinese medical teams have shared their expertise with Ugandan medical workers. Working alongside each other they share knowledge and how to overcome the different medical challenges.

However, the challenge is that some of the local health workers, once they gain experience, leave the country to find other places where they can get better pay.

Remuneration of health workers is a big challenge in Uganda that has forced many health workers to flee the country. Government has on different occasions pledged to increase their pay.

Besides the daunting challenges, the Chinese medical experts are up to the task to complete the mission.

Deng argued that if he finds himself in a situation where he cannot operate patients because of lack of specialized equipment, he refers them to other hospitals.

He said in case where there are no enough health workers, they put in extra effort to treat the patients who are in dire need of medical care.

Apart from the medical teams and the donation of the China-Friendship Hospital to Uganda, China has extended support to the Ugandan government in the health sector.

China has over the years donated anti-malaria medicines. Malaria remains the second killer disease among children under five and pregnant mothers. Endit