Xiamen gives Tibet a healthier outlook

Li Jiurong, an associate chief physician at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, is one of them. This April, along with three doctors and one administrative specialist from the hospital, he arrived at the Zogang county hospital to begin their one-year service.

As the Xiamen hospital is involved in the paired assistance program, it called for volunteers and Li immediately applied, knowing that one of the concerns in the region is the lack of pulmonary specialists in the high-altitude region.

"Because of the high altitude, we suffered from dizziness, headaches and insomnia when we first arrived. Now, having been here for several months, we still cannot participate in strenuous activities. We'd find ourselves quite breathless after climbing three flights of stairs, let alone jogging," Li says.

Since their arrival, they have been journeying to the county's villages, offering free medical consultation and contributing to the county's plan to provide all residents with a free health checkup, as well as working at the hospital.

"Although Zogang is considered a small county, its area is quite expansive, and the population is scattered. Also, most of them are busy farming, so they won't come to the county hospital unless it's absolutely necessary," he says.