Narrative
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Project narrative
On August 3, 2022, China dispatched its 26th medical aid team to Benin for an 18-month mission. The team of 22 members departed from Yinchuan, the capital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, and was composed of medical professionals from the First People's Hospital of Yinchuan, the Ningxia Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, the People's Hospital of Guyuan, and the First People's Hospital of Shizuishan. They were stationed at the Mono-Couffo Departmental Hospital in Lokossa and the Zone Hospital in Natitingou. Throughout their deployment, the team provided free medical services (see Record ID#107455), advanced hospital-to-hospital cooperation mechanisms between Ningxia and Benin, and introduced new technologies such as telemedicine (see Record ID#107362) and ECG remote diagnosis systems. Notably, pediatrician Dr. Lang Zhichun introduced phototherapy treatment for neonatal jaundice and helped establish neonatal resuscitation protocols, while also facilitating successful remote-guided thyroid surgeries in cooperation with specialists in China. The 26th team also trained dozens of local doctors and nurses, improved diagnostic and treatment capacity, and laid the groundwork for future cooperation through projects such as the proposed orthopedic center and expanded teleconsultation services. A departure ceremony was held in late January 2024, shortly before the arrival of the 27th Chinese medical team on January 26, 2024. Ningxia has been sending medical aid teams to Benin since 1978, based on a protocol signed between the Chinese and Beninese governments. To date, a total of 616 Chinese medical workers have served in Benin. Collectively, the 26 teams have treated approximately 3 million patients, admitted 130,000 inpatients, and performed more than 75,000 surgeries.