Shanxi's third medical team returns from Djibouti

The third medical team of the Cataract Blindness Elimination Project from North China's Shanxi province returned from Djibouti on May 31.

The medical team consists of eight people from the Health Commission of Shanxi Province, Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi Health Commission, Heji Hospital Affiliated to Changzhi Medical College, and Heping Hospital Affiliated to Changzhi Medical College. They left for Djibouti on March 29 to offer medical assistance.

In the past two months, the members overcame many complex challenges, such as difficult living conditions and infectious diseases. Cooperating with the Hong Kong GX Foundation and the 22nd batch of medical teams from Shanxi to aid Djibouti, they screened a total of 2,020 cases and completed 1,328 surgeries, exceeding the expected number of surgeries by 1,060.

During this period, the medical team also visited remote areas of Djibouti to conduct case screening and epidemiological investigations in local villages, so as to decide the next aid locations for the project and carry out preparatory work for future medical teams.

In December 2021, the Health Commission of Shanxi Province and the Hong Kong GX Foundation signed a memorandum of understanding for the "Cataract Blindness Elimination Project" to assist Djibouti. The plan is to carry out 6,000 to 7,000 cataract restoration surgeries for free in Djibouti within the next three to five years.

To date, Shanxi has dispatched three medical teams to carry out the medical assistance tasks, with a total of 4,537 local cases screened and 3,014 surgeries completed. In the future, the province will continue to send medical teams to aid the people of Djibouti in eliminating cataract blindness.