Healthyalternative

Large numbers of Chinese doctors head for Côte d’ivoire to help alleviate the shortage in medical professionals

The growing presence of Chinese gynecologists in the country’s public and private hospitals is contributing to the decrease in maternal and infant deaths.

A happy mother of twins born in February last year in the Côte d’ivoire capital of Abidjan, Patricia Quamarra, 31, is today a proud parent. The twins, a boy and a girl, were delivered at the Central University Hospital in Abidjan with the assistance of a Chinese gynecologist.

“A successful caesarian section only took eight minutes in the operating theater. It was pain free and I thank the doctor who gave me a chance to be a mother as infant mortality is high in this country,” said Quamarra whose children are now a year old and walking.

She still continues to receive postnatal services from Chinese doctors during regular checkups for her children at various hospitals in Abidjan.

Quamarra is one of many people in Côte d’ivoire benefiting from the services of Chinese doctors. The country is currently facing a shortage of doctors. Given the situation of increasing medical needs and few experts in specific areas of medicine, many Chinese doctors have come to the West African country. Latest figures from the country’s Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene show there are about 400 registered Chinese doctors working in both public and private hospitals in the country.

Côte d’ivoire’s former Minister of Health and Public Hygiene Aya N’dri Yoman, who is now an associate professor of medicine at the University of Abidjan, told Chinafrica that before August this year, the country plans to hire additional Chinese doctors in an ongoing process. Gynecologists and pediatricians are most needed to deal with the high infant and maternal mortality rates, much of which is preventable.

“I am one of the people who initiated that foreign doctors be hired [during my time as a minister],” she said. For example, with improved relations between our country and China, we hired several Chinese doctors. In return, our doctors would go to China for refresher training to enhance their careers. There is an expectation to have more Chinese doctors [working in Côte d’ivoire],” she added.

“If we can build roads that match those of Europe, for sure we can improve our medical services. The country [Côte d’ivoire], has, for the last few years, been looking East. Its close relations with China is obvious because of the roads built by the Asian giant along with a 60,000-seater stadium. Côte d’ivoire plans to hire 700 trained and specialized Chinese doctors over the next two years,” said Kalu. The figure and timeline was confirmed by the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene.

Kalu noted that there are a number of Chinese doctors working in the country as consultants.

Yuan Xujing is one of them. He has been in Côte d’ivoire since 2010 and is an expert in assisted births.

“I specialize in matters to do with reproductive health. I am a consultant gynecologist and I have my own clinic. My specialty is in vitro fertilization. In addition, I specialize in all matters related to maternal health. I occasionally offer my services to government hospitals such as Abobo Sud Hospital located here in [Côte d’ivoire’s capital] Abidjan,” said Yuan.

A growing number of Chinese doctors are also employed at big hospitals such as Centre Medical La Rochelle and Center Medical Chenal, most being gynecologists and general physicians.