THE Minister for Health and Medical Services, Dr Paul Popora Bosawai has acknowledged the 3rd Chinese Medical Team (CMT), who departed the country back to China last Wednesday after completing their 12-month term, for the ‘exceptional’ clinical services they provided and their keenness to transfer their knowledge and skills to Solomon Islands doctors and nurses.
Dr Bosawai was speaking at a ceremony last Tuesday to handover SBD600,000 worth of medical equipment and drugs for the National Referral Hospital (NRH) Comprehensive Medical Centre and the farewell of the 3rd CMT and welcome of their successors, the 4th CMT.
Dr Bosawai spoke highly of the clinical services provided by the CMT as the ‘best clinical services’, which he said do not only help address the ailments of patients, but also ensures the transfer of knowledge and skills to Solomon Islands doctors and nurses.
The deployment of the CMTs to the NRH comes under a health sector cooperation between Solomon Islands and the People’s Republic of China with the objective of delivering critical healthcare services to the people of Solomon Islands.
Since 2022, China dispatched four medical teams to the NRH. The third CMT returned home last week and the fourth CMT arrived prior their departure to ensure continuity in the crucial services provided under this health sector cooperation.
“Ladies and gentlemen as we say goodbye to the third CMT, leaving our shores, our heart and gratitude persists and go with them to their families and friends they left 12 months ago. Note that the third CMT arrived on the 17th of March, 2024.
“We saw the second team left the country on the 23rd of March, 2024. Our fellow Chinese colleagues will leave us on the 19th of March, tomorrow. Their replacement, which is the fourth CMT already arrived on the 15th of March, and we already knew what is expected from them.
“We were certain and predictable that the 4th CMT will go beyond their call of duty. By delivering highly and extremely health technical care and services for our people, while at the same time help train our doctors, nurses and all our allied health workers in the transfer of skills and capacity enhancement.
“Ladies and gentlemen, over the 12 months, the third CMT has delivered exceptionally well, using their wealth of knowledge and highly professional clinical expertise to attend our sick people.
“They have worked hard and with long hours and along with our local team of health workers at the National Referral Hospital (NRH), in the provincial clinics and the community level, they have deeply, deeply integrated and participated and are very keen to transfer their skills and knowledge to our local staff.
“During their time, they have visited numerous of our communities, particularly in rural and hard-to-reach communities, and their hearts are in the right place as their compassion and dedication to saving our people were clearly demonstrated in the last 12 months,” Dr Bosawai highlighted.
By IAN LADDS OSO
Solomon Star, Honiara
