Chinese doctor Liu Peng (C) talks with local doctors at Sino-Guinean Friendship Hospital in Conakry, Guinea, April 29, 2025. (Xinhua/Han Xu)
Since 1963, China has sent over 25,000 medical team members to 48 African countries, treating more than 230 million patients and winning the hearts of the African people with dedication.
They have been working to fight Ebola outbreaks, improve medical procedures and train generations of local professionals, shifting the focus from short-term aid to sustainable empowerment.
CONAKRY, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Morning light streams through the windows of the newly opened medical complex at the Sino-Guinean Friendship Hospital in Conakry. Radiologist Liu Peng and her Guinean colleague Amelie Lamah examine spinal scans on a 1.5T MRI machine, seamlessly switching between French and Chinese as they work.
This moment of teamwork captures the daily rhythm at one of Guinea's largest public hospitals, a flagship Chinese aid project. Since 1963, China has sent over 25,000 medical team members to 48 African countries, treating more than 230 million patients and winning the hearts of the African people with dedication.
They have been working to fight Ebola outbreaks, improve medical procedures and train generations of local professionals, shifting the focus from short-term aid to sustainable empowerment.
In March 2025, the 31st Chinese medical team arrived at the hospital, comprising 24 specialists from Beijing Friendship Hospital, Beijing Municipal Health Commission and the Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control. More than half hold senior titles or doctorates. Beyond traditional expertise, they brought technologies such as orthopedic AI planners and surgical robots.
"The AI system enables precise joint replacement modeling," said team leader Wang Bin, adding that although Guinea's intermittent power supply poses a challenge, the team is developing joint protocols with local staff to ensure stable application and long-term adaptability.
Chinese medical workers Zhang Zhiwen (R) and Wu Di (C) perform surgery on a patient at Sino-Guinean Friendship Hospital in Conakry, Guinea, April 29, 2025. (Xinhua/Han Xu)
Hands-on knowledge transfer continues across departments: Guinean surgeons hone their joint replacement skills under Chinese guidance, and traditional medicine experts explore acupuncture treatments.
Cooperation of the kind has grown through decades of consistent engagement. Since 1968, Chinese doctors have trained thousands of African medical professionals through hands-on clinical mentoring and exchange programs.
Lamah, director of radiology department, said their "diagnostic capabilities keep improving through this partnership."
The hospital's August 2023 expansion marked a major milestone, doubling clinical capacity through new Chinese-built facilities that now serve dual purposes: elevating patient care standards while creating advanced training opportunities for medical professionals.
"Better infrastructure benefits both patients and medical advancement," said Mohamed Diane, director general of the Sino-Guinean Friendship Hospital.
Wang reflected on the long-running partnership: "For 57 years, every Beijing medical team has shared one goal -- making technology take root here."
A single purchase
