Braving COVID-19 to treat Sudanese patients

JUBA — Though the rising COVID-19 infections in South Sudan strike fear and anxiety among people, Chinese medical doctors continue to treat patients with various ailments.

Liu Fang, a 38-year-old dermatologist with the eighth Chinese medical team batch in Juba, says that she works four to five hours a day on 100 patients with skin diseases such as eczema, scabies, dermatitis, drug eruption and ringworm.

“I am not afraid of COVID-19 because a lot of patients suffering from skin diseases need our services,” she says.

Liu, who works at the Juba Teaching Hospital, says that since the first case of COVID-19 was reported in the country last April, few patients came due to fear of catching COVID-19.

The situation has now changed due to the fact that the Chinese medical team has adhered to strict COVID-19 health guidelines where all patients are required to undergo tests for COVID-19 before they can have access to treatment.

She says the causes of skin diseases among her South Sudanese patients are largely due to hot weather and poor hygiene, adding that many of these patients do not get the necessary treatment required at the early stages of infection.

“Every year, the Chinese government donates medicine. We have enough medicine to treat these people,” Liu says.

South Sudan’s health ministry has so far confirmed 9,613 COVID-19 cases and 106 deaths, with the highest rate of infections occurring between February and March.

Wang Lili, a 38-year-old gynecologist, says she always has her clients, who are mostly pregnant women, to take the first test for COVID-19. She serves about 20 women daily at the gynecology ward.

“The experience of working here is remarkable. A lot of patients listen to our instructions. Some of the patients were afraid of COVID-19 at first, but this has since changed as many of them are coming to seek our services,” Wang says.

One memorable experience for Wang was of her helping a woman in labor pain. The woman’s vagina ruptured in February, and this led to an operation to save her life after excessive bleeding. “The operation was successful. We are very happy about it,” Wang says.

South Sudan’s major referral hospital now has a colposcopy machine for the first time, and this has helped make detection of cancer and other cervical diseases among women easier.

“This year, we started to use the only colposcopy machine in the hospital. I hope South Sudanese women will gain enough awareness on cervical diseases,” Wang adds.

Zhu Changlong, a pediatrician who has so far treated about 30 babies who were born premature, says he and his colleagues are not only treating South Sudanese. They are also raising awareness on COVID-19 preventive measures which include offering them face masks and sanitizers.

Zhu explains that the high number of prematurely born babies is caused by prevalent malaria, malnutrition, and inherited family diseases.

Wu Huaiguo, neurologist and team leader of the Chinese medical team, says that the main cause of the rise in COVID-19 infections is due to variations of the coronavirus.

“China is the first country to bring COVID-19 infections under control and we the Chinese medical team in South Sudan have the obligation to fight COVID-19 with the South Sudanese people,” Wu says. “We have the responsibility and obligation to stand with the South Sudanese people in these hard times.”