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

Training, exchanges

In the respiratory and critical care ward of the First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Malagasy physician Rabeson Tahiana follows Chinese doctors during routine rounds.

Moving from bed to bed, they discuss patients' conditions, sometimes using AI translation tools to bridge gaps in language and medical terminology.

Tahiana and four other doctors from the University Hospital Center of Anosiala, Madagascar, are currently participating in a six-month training program at the hospital. They observe clinical practices, participate in daily medical work and learn from Chinese doctors across different specialties.

"The Chinese doctors are highly skilled and well organized," Tahiana said.

The program provides access to advanced respiratory technologies, including bronchoscopy and pulmonary function testing.

"This training allows us to bring new techniques back to Madagascar and improve care for our patients," he said.

Rasolohery Honjaniaina, who has worked with Chinese medical teams in Madagascar for six years, said the cooperation had continuously improved her clinical practice.

"Each Chinese colleague has helped me in my daily work. It has been a valuable experience of exchange and learning," she said.

For Chinese doctors, the goal of training is to support the development of a self-sustaining local medical workforce. Knowledge and skills learned in China, they said, will become part of the local healthcare system and continue to benefit communities.

"China's medical technology is developing rapidly. Coming here allows doctors to learn new knowledge and methods. We share our experience without reservation," Wang Jianhua from Gansu Provincial People's Hospital said.