What they say
Editor's Note: Five healthcare workers shared their reflections on the COVID-19 outbreak during a briefing held by the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Monday.
The COVID-19 pandemic has not been tamed yet, as the novel coronavirus is still raging overseas and domestic infection clusters occur. But we have accumulated rich experiences in virus control and treatment. For me, the most memorable impression of the fight against the virus is the CPC’s determination to exhaust all means to save every single life, whether the patient is a child or an elderly person. During the outbreak that hit Shijiazhuang in Hebei province in January, many infected patients were young children and some were only several months old. Our nurses took turns to hold them and feed them bottled milk until all of them were released from isolation. It is heartwarming to see so many people surrounding and caring for a little baby.
Zhang Boli, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and honorary president of the Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
On Jan 24 of last year, I suddenly received a notice that medical teams from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army and Shanghai municipality would come to Wuhan to aid us at Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital. We were experiencing very difficult times and the news totally caught us by surprise. We felt a deep sense of warmth and encouragement from it and it strengthened our conviction to prevail over the virus.
Zhang Dingyu, deputy director of the Hubei Provincial Health Commission and former president of Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital
While combating an acute contagious illness outbreak, it is also significant to ensure that patients suffering chronic diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, can continue receiving treatment. At Home of Red Ribbon, we began guiding patients outside Beijing to pick up free drugs near their places of residence. As of the end of last year, we had also mailed medications to over 4,000 HIV/AIDS patients, with help from primary medical facilities, some neighborhoods and social organizations. In addition, we launched surveys to interview about 1,000 HIV/AIDS patients to learn more about their needs. We also began delivering online medical services that were warmly embraced by many patients.
Wang Kerong, head nurse at Beijing Ditan Hospital’s Home of Red Ribbon, an institution dedicated to caring for HIV/AIDS patients
As a rural health worker, a regular task for me during the outbreak is to monitor temperatures of migrant workers returning from outside the village and report them to higher authorities. When I visited them, some villagers said they would stay at home and get vaccinated as soon as possible, to make their contribution to the battle against the virus and avoid causing any trouble. They also praised medical workers, the nation and the CPC for putting the health of people first.
He Xinglong, doctor in Letang village in Linfen, Shanxi province
At a grassroots
CDC center like my workplace, we are responsible for conducting epidemiological investigations. In the beginning, we found it complicated to perform surveys, but gradually, local residents began to understand the severity of the virus and learn to cooperate with our work. I have felt the power of uniting together to fight against the virus.
Li Guike, honorary director of the disease control and prevention center in Eryuan county, Yunnan province