Volunteer medics a tonic for rural residents

New clinic

Late October saw the opening of a new three-story building－the site of a new health center in Chahantuohai township－built with the assistance of the government of Panjin, Liaoning province.

The new facility is more than three times larger than the previous clinic－a 350-square-meter, one-story building－which allows it to provide more and better services, said Zhang Jinping, the center's president.

"Previously, the limited space meant we had to provide different services in the same room, which was inconvenient for the doctors, nurses and patients," she added.

Ma Leina, a nurse at the center, said: "We did not have independent treatment rooms, so many of us had to share one room to receive patients. We did not even have enough space for some of the medical equipment. For example, we did not have a special room for ultrasound examinations, so we had to move the machine from one room to another to test patients."

A surgical department will be established at the center so patients who need minor surgery will not have to travel to the county seat or nearby cities, she added.

Zhang said she hopes the improved facilities will attract more doctors and nurses to the rural clinic. One of her major concerns is that many graduates are unwilling to stay at township health centers for long, because most opt to work in big cities if given the chance.