Healthy outlook for Guoluo thanks to city medics
Medical staff from 14 leading public hospitals in Shanghai have visited counties in Guoluo, Qinghai Province, and provided free consultations, lectures and doctor training.
The 21 Shanghai experts in different departments provided services to more than 2,000 Tibetan farmers and shepherds during the five-day service, according to the Shanghai Health Commission.
Dr Wu Zhijun, from Ruijin Hospital's cardiology department, said he received a 48-year-old female patient with a long history of tuberculosis. During treatment she was also diagnosed with congenital heart disease.
Wu provided a treatment plan to control her condition and suggested surgery.
He also offered explanations on congenital heart disease to local doctors, and insisted on the importance of health education and screening.
"Since many people in the early stage of heart disease don't have significant symptoms, the disease isn't detected until it reaches a serious stage," he said.
"It is important to educate these farmers and shepherds on the importance of healthy lifestyles and regular check-ups for early detection, diagnosis and treatment."
A Shanghai doctor checks a Tibetan patient's lung function.
Dr Zhang Jing, from Zhongshan Hospital's respiratory disease department, said she received a young female with a poor treatment outcome after receiving treatment for 14 months.
"Through communication with local doctors, I was told that tuberculosis is a common infectious disease in the region," Zhang said.
"Most patients have symptoms like coughing and short breath, so local doctors usually offer treatment targeting such symptoms while neglecting the diagnosis, treatment and management of problems like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
"In addition, there are many people with drug-resistance tuberculosis, raising the risk of the disease spreading."
Zhang taught local medics how to use lung function monitoring equipment and conducted checks on three patients.
"I hope local medics can widely carry out basic lung function examination and prepare necessary medications, achieving a regular management of chronic respiratory diseases," she said.
Due to the mountainous feature and cold weather, Shanghai experts also found many patients younger than 50 years old have developed arthritis in the knees.
Dr Hu Hai from orthopedics department of Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital said he specially promoted education on common knowledge for arthritis prevention and control like keeping warm, avoiding one position for a long time and doing proper practice.
"I told shepherds that they should go to a doctor in time if they suffer early-stage symptoms and receive physical therapy to reduce pain and enhance treatment effects," he said.
Shanghai began to offer medical support to Guoluo Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Qinghai since 2010.
A total of 41 medical experts have gone to Guoluo for long-term service, carrying out clinical practice and offering training for local medics.
Experts in Shanghai also offer long-distance medical consultation and remote case discussion to guide local professionals.
Shanghai doctors check a Tibetan boy's teeth.
