Medical teams strengthen healthcare in Xinjiang

"Your hands are a little cold," says Xie Yu, taking the hand of an elderly Uygur man and examining it closely.

The man, whose hands are darkened with age, has brought his medical records to a village clinic in Turpan, in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region of northwestern China. He points to his ear and explains that he does not understand Mandarin.

Xie, however, is used to finding ways to communicate.

He came to Turpan five months ago from Hunan Cancer Hospital as part of an 18-month medical assistance program. Since 1998, Hunan province has provided assistance to Turpan.

During the week, Xie works at Turpan People's Hospital, where he is a vice-president. On weekends, he travels to Xincheng Ximen village to offer free consultations.

By late morning, several elderly residents are still waiting to see him. Some struggle to communicate in Mandarin. Xie repeats his explanations, sometimes several times, and asks Uygur colleagues to help when words fail.

Hearing someone nearby mention the city, the elderly man raises six fingers. He speaks slowly, one word at a time: He has been to Beijing six times.

Xie pats him on the shoulder.

"That's impressive," he says. "Let's get you better so you can go again."

The man has coronary heart disease, a condition Xie says is common among older residents in the area. The region's hot climate and local diets, often high in oil and salt, are among the factors contributing to cardiovascular problems.

For Xie, treating patients means more than writing prescriptions. He also tries to persuade them to pay attention to their diets, get enough rest and seek medical help when they need it.

If a problem cannot be handled at the village clinic, he taps the nameplate on his desk and tells patients to come find him at the hospital.

Noticing that the man's hand is cold, Xie passes it to He Haixia, a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner sitting beside him. He asks her to check the man's pulse.

Two other doctors from Hunan are also there that day, volunteering their time to see patients.

The latest group of medical professionals from Hunan arrived in Turpan in late May. By August, they had introduced 37 new medical technologies and programs and performed 172 operations. Over nearly three decades, 535 medical professionals from Hunan have worked in Turpan, across more than 40 medical departments.