More than 50 villagers at Saleaumua underwent free health checks and received medicine on Saturday thanks to a clinic run by a Chinese medical team currently visiting Samoa.

One of the villagers from Saleaumua, Lanu Seumalii, acknowledged the assistance from the Chinese medical team as an all-too-rare opportunity to see a health professional for free. 

“I came to bring my elderly mother for a health check,” he said.

Mr. Seumalii added that his mother faces various health challenges.

“We wanted to check what her current state of health is," he said. 

“It is hard for us to have access to hospitals because we do not have any car and we have to pay the car that we use to take us to the main hospital in town.”

The Director of the Medical Team, Professor Wang Yonggang, who is an urologist said that a village representative from Saleaumua requested their team to conduct health screening for their villagers.

“We love the Samoan people and their culture. We wanted to give back to the local communities by offering our services for free," the Professor said. 

“We offered health screening services through measuring blood pressure, fingertip blood sugar determination, electrocardiogram examination for the patient and give medicines for free.

“We will also do more free clinical checks to other village before we leave Samoa next month.”

The common problems that arose during health checks included, doctors said: skin problems, obesity, diabetes, and hypertension.

“We advise the people to exercise more and eat a healthy diet, please refrain from consuming deep fried foods, high salt and sugar intake," the Professor said. 

“It is honour to work in Samoa and be part of strengthening the partnership between China and Samoa."

Professor Lifeng, who is an otolaryngologist and ear, nose, and throat (E.N.T.) doctor, said that some locals had sought treatment for lifelong problems with their ears.

“Life in Samoa is very different from China because the families live near the sea and they love to swim," he said. 

“Some of them get ear disease especially some infections; some do not care about the water in their ears. 

“For some children the eardrums already have a hole and so I advise that if someone has health problems please seek medical treatment as soon as possible.”

He added that it was very sad to see that some lose their hearing because of not seeking treatment early. 

The medical team arrived in Samoa on August.

The team consists of: Professor Yonggang Wang (Urologist, the director of the team), Professor Lifeng (otolaryngologist, ENT Doctor), Professor Zhe (Cardiologist), Dr Qingfan Zheng (Gastroenterologist, Digestive endoscopy specialist)),Dr Xianglan Li(Dermatologist), Dr Qiong Wu(Pathologist). 

All of six specialists work in the Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital as volunteer doctos.

The medical team has also conducted health screening for the teachers and students of National University of Samoa, and the villagers of Falevao.