South Sudan teaching hospital, university ink deal to train medical students

(realmedicinefoundation.org)

JUBA, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- An unveiling ceremony of the medical service partnership between the University of Juba and the Juba Teaching Hospital was held Monday in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.

At the ceremony, Robert Mayom Kuoirot Deng, deputy vice chancellor for administration and finance at the university, said that the agreement will allow the 11th batch of the Chinese medical team from east China's Anhui Province to provide medical equipment and reagents worth more than 40,000 U.S. dollars to the university's clinic and also train doctors and nurses.

"We have established a medical service partnership with the People's Republic of China, the Ministry of Health of the Republic of South Sudan, university clinic, and the administration of the University of Juba," said Mayom.

"It (university clinic) is going to provide services to the students, staff, and workers of the University of Juba and those staying around the University of Juba, but this will not prevent anybody from anywhere in South Sudan to come and be treated."

The agreement between Juba Teaching Hospital and the University of Juba was signed in late October.

"It is for a minimum of three years and it can always be renewed, but I am sure it is going to go for a longer period because this is a service that you cannot get anywhere; we prefer materials to be delivered to us rather than cash," Mayom said.

Liu Tongzhu, director general of the Health Commission of Anhui Province, who is visiting South Sudan and leading a delegation from Anhui Province, said the medical service partnership is an important health model that has been widely used in China.

"We want to bring this model to South Sudan to help the people here. Through this practice, the China medical team can help more school students and the surrounding communities by providing high-quality medical services," said Liu.

He said the Chinese medical team will make good use of the university clinic to spread not only Western medicine technology but also Chinese traditional medicine to the local people. "Furthermore, I hope that China's medical team can help to teach and guide more and more local young doctors to be better," Liu said.

Ma Wenjun, deputy head of Mission of the Chinese Embassy in South Sudan, said that the hospital and the university will benefit from the advanced medical technologies and expertise of the Chinese medical team. He believed that the Chinese medical team would gain invaluable experience in international medical cooperation and provide better medical services to the people of South Sudan.

The cooperation agreement outlines the key objectives of the partnership, including providing opportunities for medical staff from the university to visit Chinese medical institutions and learn from China's experience, and inviting high-level Chinese medical professors to deliver lectures, practical courses, and simulation training at the university, said Ma.

"It also aims to ensure equal access to medical resources and quality healthcare services for all patients, especially those living in rural areas in South Sudan," he said.

Ma said that the Chinese medical team, which has been stationed in South Sudan for 12 years, will play an important role in the partnership, adding that the medical team will provide medical service support to the two institutions to offer remote medical diagnosis services to patients, help establish corresponding clinical protocols, donate necessary medical equipment, and mobilize opportunities for doctors and other healthcare professionals from the university to pursue further education and training in China.

During the ceremony, the delegation from Anhui Province and Mayom jointly unveiled the university clinic. They also inspected the consultation room, wards, laboratory, and pharmacy of the university clinic.