Barbados has once more welcomed a team of doctors, nurses and specialists from the People’s Republic of China, marking the eighth cohort of medical professionals to assist at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) since 2016.
The cohort was welcomed to the QEH recently by a team of officials led by Minister of Health and Wellness Senator Lisa Cummins and QEH chief executive officer Neil Clarke.
Their arrival was also marked by donations of equipment made to the hospital including operating tables, infant warmers, surgical operating equipment and UV disinfectant lamps, valued over $136 000.
Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China, Zheng Bingkai said the donation was in keeping with the strong bonds forged between nations and building a China-Barbados medical cooperation.
“We are confident that the eighth China medical team will carry forward the legacy of their predecessors. With these newly-donated medical supplies, the team will continue to serve the Barbadian people with distinction, with close collaboration and with the QEH colleagues as well,” he said.
Expressing thanks for the supplies, Clarke highlighted their value in strengthening the hospital’s capacity in several areas.
“Beyond the equipment, the most valuable aspect of this partnership is the spirit of collaboration that it represents.
“The exchange of the skills, the sharing of clinical experience and the friendship formed between health care professionals from our two nations are powerful reminders that health care is ultimately about people working together in the service of others,” he said.
Welcoming her first cohort of the Chinese team as newly appointed Minister of Health and Wellness, Cummins reflected on the deepening bond between Barbados and China in the medical space.
She added that the collaboration as well as the donations were one further step in the QEH’s path to reconstruction and improvement of health care.
“Over the last several years you’ve heard us talking a lot about deconstructing and reconstructing. That’s the exercise that is under way now and seeing all of the constituent parts that need some attention, things that are working not so well, things that are not working at all, the things that are working well . . . and then reconstructing a health care ecosystem that builds on all the constituent components to deliver a world-class health service for Barbadians.
“One that when your daughter finds herself in need of medical care, when your aged mother finds the need for medical care, when your aged father is in need of emergency treatment that you feel confident that through partnerships like this and a reconstructed overall health care system, that you feel confident that we’re going to meet you right where you are,” she added.
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