“Thank you for saving my daughter’s foot”- Bikita...

“Thank you for saving my daughter’s foot”- Bikita man applauds Chinese doctors

Zim Now Correspondent

On the afternoon of June 20 the 21st China Medical Team was conducting a free clinic in the Bikita community of Masvingo Province, Zimbabwe, when they received a request for help from the principal of Bikita Minerals Primary School.

It turned out that a 12-year-old girl named Matambura had stepped on a nail while playing barefoot in a physical education class two weeks ago.

Despite the pain, she did not seek medical attention at the clinic. The little girl began to have difficulty walking and could not put her right foot on the ground.

After examining her and inquiring about her medical history, Dr. Chen Junpeng, an orthopedic surgeon, diagnosed her with a purulent infection of the sole of the foot with a foreign body remaining.

Without urgent surgery and drainage, the infection could continue to spread, resulting in the possibility of amputation. After fully communicating with the girl’s teacher and family, it was decided to immediately proceed to Bikita Mine Clinic for surgery.

Under trying conditions with no surgical lights and limited medical equipment, Associate Professor Zhang Yueming and Dr. Chen Junpeng, collaborated to perform the incision and drainage of the girl’s sole.

They removed the remaining nail, cleaned the wound, and bandaged it. They also explained the postoperative precautions in detail. After the pus was drained in a tthe girl’s pain was significantly relieved.

Matambura’s father excitedly grasped the hands of the Chinese doctors and said, “Bikita Mine is located in a remote area with poor medical conditions and high surgery costs. We had been enduring and dragging it out until it was absolutely necessary. I sincerely thank the China medical team for providing door-to-door free clinics and relieving my daughter’s pain.”

The medical staff at Bikita Mine Clinic were impressed by the quick, accurate judgment and skillful techniques of the China medical team experts. They expressed the hope that the China medical team could come more often in the future to provide guidance and medical assistance in performing surgeries.