'Thank you, Chinese doctor!' echoes across 50 years of trust

TCM opens doors

When the first Chinese medical team from Gansu arrived in Madagascar in 1975, one of the biggest challenges was not treating diseases, but gaining the trust of local patients.

At the beginning, few people came to seek treatment. For more than 10 days, Chinese doctors looked for ways to connect with the local community.

Tang Shicheng, former deputy director of Gansu Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, decided to begin with acupuncture, a traditional Chinese medicine treatment he was familiar with.

He demonstrated it on himself, inserting needles into his own leg.

Curious locals asked whether it hurt. Tang said "no" and invited them to try acupuncture. "After that, patients gradually began to come in, and queues soon formed across departments. That was how our work began," he recalled.

Tang's acupuncture treatment was embedded in locals' memories. In the 1970s, a Malagasy newspaper in Ambovombe reported how Chinese doctors brought hope to patients through TCM, describing some recoveries as "miracles".

One patient, Fotoa Jean Jacques, who suffered from paralysis, gradually regained the ability to speak and walk after receiving acupuncture treatment from Tang.

Wang Jiaqi, former deputy director of Gansu Provincial People's Hospital, said trust was already established during his mission in the 1990s. Wang said a former Madagascar ambassador to China regularly turned to the Chinese medical team for treatment, though he had many doctors in his own family. "He told us that what impressed him most was the dedication of Chinese doctors, their careful treatment of Malagasy patients and their willingness to serve the people here," he said.

Qiang treated a complex case involving a large thyroid tumor. To reduce surgical risks, his team carefully optimized every step, from preparation for surgery and anesthesia planning to incision design.

"After the surgery was successful, word quickly spread," Qiang said. "Relatives of a Malagasy official even reached out through overseas Chinese networks to seek treatment from us. That kind of word-of-mouth recognition is the strongest confirmation of our clinical work."

Over time, Chinese doctors became a familiar presence not only in hospitals but also in the broader community. Overseas Chinese and employees of Chinese enterprises in Madagascar regularly sought their help, while patients from neighboring island countries such as Comoros and Mauritius even traveled by boat for treatment.