The 3rd China Medical Team (CMT) arrived in Honiara over the weekend for another 12 months assignment. The team replaces the 2nd China Medical Team who served in the country since last year.
Ministry of Health and Medical Services Permanent Secretray Mrs Pauline McNeil and National Referral Hospital (NRH) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr George Malefoasi along with People’s Republic of China (PRC) Counselor Mrs Rui Gong were at the airport to recieve the team of medical experts.
The 8-member team includes a cardiologist, nephrologist, urologist and accuncturist who will primarily serve at the NRH and do provincial hospital specialist outreaches. They will adopt a similar program as the previous colleagues with some changes.
NRH CEO Dr George Malefoasi stated he would like to see the new team better align and integrate closely with the local doctors and nurses at the hospital.
“I would like to see local staff and CMT work as a team and treat patients needing specialist advice and treatment. Local doctors including registrars and consultants must make use of this chance to learn from these highly qualified subspecialists more than before”, said Dr Malefoasi.
Health Permanet Secteray, Mrs. Pauline McNeil thanked the new Team Leader Dr Mu Mao for leading this new team to the Solomon Islands and expressed the Government’s gratitude to the Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University (AHGMU) for mainting the medical cooperation between the two hospitals.
We are pleased to receive the 3rd China Medical Team, on behalf of the Solomon Islands Government, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Chinese Medical teams and to Guizhou province and the Chinese government for enabling the deployment of these medical teams to Solomon Islands.
Meanwhile ten local doctors and nurses from the National Referral Hospital will this year travel to the Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, in Guizhou Province to undertake 3 months of subspecialist training. This is also to prepare local specialist capacity on delivering specialist services to be provided through the new Comprehensive Medical Centre currently being constructed.
The PRC Embassy counsellor Mrs Rui Gong says plans are in place for national doctors, nurses and other health workers to attend trainings and conferences in China this year.
“All these overseas planned visits are catered for under the medical cooperation between the Solomon Islands and Chinese government to upgrade and improve local skills in medical and health techniques, procedures and systems of care using China’s modern medical technology”, said Mrs. Rui.
Meanwhile, the 2nd China Medical Team will leave on the 23rd of March.
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