Chinese medical team provides Christmas cheer for S. Sudanese orphans

JUBA, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- The 10th batch of the Chinese medical team on Tuesday provided Christmas gifts and free medical checkups for children in two separate orphanages in the South Sudanese capital of Juba.

Angelo Kenyi Samuel, director of the Juba Orphanage Home, said the visit by the Chinese medical team was a relief to the heavy burden of treating orphans and supporting staff grappling with diverse ailments.

"The 10th batch of the Chinese medical team has been coming here on several occasions to conduct medical examinations," said Samuel.

He disclosed that the long-lasting collaboration involving the orphanage, and the neighboring Juba Teaching and Referral Hospital, where the Chinese doctors are based, has helped maintain routine medical visits to the orphanage.

Besides providing urgent medical checkups and treatment, the Chinese doctors also donated powdered milk, cookies, and medicine for treating wounds, cough, malaria, and typhoid.

"The weather now in Juba keeps on changing; sometimes it is very hot during the day and cold in the wee hours of the morning, leading to high incidences of influenza among children," said Samuel.

Hellen Murshal Boro, executive director of the Confident Children out of Conflict, thanked the Chinese doctors for agreeing to provide essential medicine and treatment for typhoid, cough, epilepsy, and malnutrition at the orphanage.

"We have children here who have chronic medical conditions like HIV/AIDS. So while AIDS drugs are free, malaria treatment is not free. You must have a clinical examination and tablets that are quite costly," said Boro.

"The bulk of our budget is channeled to healthcare, and the visit by Chinese doctors provides us with enough medicine that saves us from buying from the private pharmacies at exorbitant costs," she added.

Xu Zhangwei, leader of the 10th batch of the Chinese medical team, said they decided to provide Christmas gifts and medical checkups for the orphans as part of the social responsibility and in-kind support toward the community where they work.

Since 2013, the Chinese medical team has offered free medical services in South Sudan and also provided capacity building for local health workers and medical students.