The Huron Expositor, 1988-09-07, Page 5Canadians well received in China
When Egmondville's Joyce Doig ac-
cepted an invitation to travel to China as
part of a North American delegation that
would exchange information on the control
of infection, she didn't know what to ex-
pect. But she knew it was an opportunity
she couldn't pass up.
Now, after three weeks m China, and
• three months back in Canada, Mrs. Doig,
head of the Emergency and Oupatient
Department at the Clinton Public Hospital,
as well as its Infection Control Nurse,
wants to go back.
"I've been a lot of different places and I
don't think I've ever said I'd like to go back
again, to work, or to teach. But I'd go back
to China again," she said.
"The people are just wonderful. A lot of
times we were the only white people they'd
ever seen, and they'd stop us in the streets,
just to practise what little english they
knew. I had absolutely no feeling of
danger, or insecurity at any time. There
were no racial concerns."
Her delegation, officially known as the
"People to People Health Care Facility
Control Delegation" to the People's
Republic of China, was made up of 72
medical personalities from the United
States, and three from Canada. Mrs.
Doig's invitation to join the delegation
came from Dr. Frank Engley, Jr. through
the American organization called the
Association of Practitioners and Infection
Control (APIC). Mrs. Doig belongs to that
agency as well as its Canadian counterpart
- the Community and Hospital Infection
Control Association (MICA).
Following a two day briefing session in
Seattle in May, the delegation visited
medical facilities in the Chinese cities of
Beijing, Shijazhuang and Nanjing, with
the Chinese Medical Association acting as
offical host. Members of the delegation
made formal presentations and had for-
mal discussions with the Chinese Medical
Association, who in turn shared some
traditional Chinese medicine.
The routine was much the same as one
might as expect on st trip of this sort, with
the delegates introduced to their Chinese
counterparts in each city, at a banquet;..
briefed upon arrival at each facility
visited; and allowed the opportunity to ask
questions following the tours and seminar
presentations.
"They made it very easy for us. A large
percentage of the professional people in
China speak english - and speak it very
well. There was always someone around
who spoke both Chinese and English," said
Mrs. Doig.
There were also, Mrs. Doig noted, very
few restrictions placed on the delegates.
"We were told to ask before we took any
photos, but we were never refused when
we did ask, although they did tell us not to
take photographs of any military institu-
tions," she said.
"It was very relaxed. When you think of
China, you think of Communist China. It is
Communist China, but there were really
no feelings of that," she added, using the
delegation's guide - a Mr. Gu, who is vice
chairman of the Foreign Affairs Depart-
ment of the Chinese Medical Association,
as an example.
"He was wonderful. When there was
some slack time he'd quite often shedule
what he'd call a press conference, when we
could talk to him about anything - politics,
religion - whatever we wanted. He never
gave us the feeling they were trying to
keep anything from us."
Medically, Mrs. Doig said, China is set
up much the same as Canada, with each of
the provinces responsible for the medical
care of its own people. However, she said,
the hospitals themselves are set up dif-
ferently than those in Canada, with the
various departments spread out
throughout a city, rather than contained
under one roof. As a result, individual
families are responsible for transferring
the sick members from one department,
ie. the ex -ray department, to the car-
diology department, which may be located
across the city.
Another observation Mrs. Doig made
was that, although there was some very
modern hospital equipment in use in
China, a lot of the hospitals used equip-
ment that was almost obsolete in Canada.
"From a medical point of view, looking
at Chinese hospitals was like looking back
in time. You saw a lot of equipment we us-
ed to use," she said.
"But there are a billion people in that
country, and it was my feeling that they
coped remarkably well for the number of
people," added Mrs. Doig, emphasizing,
for example, that it was not unusual for
3-4,000 people per day to pass through an
outpatient department no bigger than that
in Clinton or Seaforth.
"It seems to me the Chinese people are
anxious to modernize their hospitals to
western standards, but they'd like to keep
their traditional forms of medicine as
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WONDERFUL COUNTRY - Egmondville's Joyce Doig was a recent visitor t6 China,
where she toured its medical facilities and swapped information on Infection control.
She expects China's medical system will see great changes in the next decade and
would like someday to return to that country. Here she is posed with a jade dragon, a
hand crocheted tablecloth and a Chinese counter, all purchased on her trip. Mcllwraith
photo.
well," said Mrs. Doig.
"They're anxious to learn western ideas
and methods. They have some very ad-
vanced Nuipment, but right next door is a
deparft" int that uses traditional Chinese
medicine - like herbs and accupuncture.
Aside from their visits to the prescribed
medical facilities, members of the delega-
tion, had the opporutnity to do some
sightseeing as well.
"We saw the usual things - the Great
Wall, the Forbidden City, the temples..."
said Mrs. Doig.
But her reminsces are of other things.
"We travlled partly by train, and that
was quite an experience," she said.
"In the Beijing (a city with a population
of about nine million) train station, there
must have been 200,000 people in the cour-
tyard. If it hadn't been for the fact that we
(the delegation) stood out in the crowd,
I'm sure we would have lost someone."
Mrs. Doig recalled meeting a Chinese
man who was working in Nanjing for the
Government of Ontario, and the subse-
quent tour of the Science and Technology
department, promoting Canadian Science
and Technology, that he was setting up
there. She further recalled the big fuss
made over the Canadians at the Peace
Hospital in Shijazhuang, where Canadian
Surgeon Norman Buffon did most of his
work. She recalled a dance held in the
delegate's honor by medical students of
one city, which featured a live band that
played Jingle Bells as its first song. And
she recalled the fascination a photograph
of her home, located in the lush greenness
of the Seaforth Golf and Country Club, held
for others of her Chinese counterparts.
"They were fascinated by the green
grass and the space at the golf course.
They had no idea what golf was. And it was
incomprehensible to them that two people
could live in a house the size of ours. They
kept calling it our village," she said.
"It's so much different in China.
Be?ause each family takes on responsibili-
ty for its older members, it isn't unusual
for there to be 20-30 people living in one
house. There are no nursing homes, only a
Home for Respected Elders, and the only
people in those homes are those without
families to look after them," said Mrs.
Doig.
Another thing Mrs. Doig noticed was
that there are two systems of money in
China - one for the local Chinese and one
for foreigners visiting the country.
Accommodation was good, and Mrs.
Doig noted the delegation's stay in the
country's capital of Beijing was par-
ticularly interesting, possibly because the
group s' 'd in the "eijing Hotel, which is
usuall, ccupiet. by foreign cor-
respondents. An older hotel, it allowed
them a more personal contact with the
Chinese people.
Mrs. Doig called Nanjing a beautiful city
with tree -lined streets, and Hong Kong,
where the delegation spent its final 36
hours, a fascinating place.
She noted however that Hong Kong has
very limited space to build anything, so
goes up.
"I think you'd have to really like people
to live in Hong Kong," she said. •
All in all Mrs. Doig found the trip to be a
real learning experience.
"It was a super trip. I wouldn't call it a
vacation, more like a working holiday. We
were busy. We worked our little tails off,
but we were treated superbly," she said,
noting the logistics of moving 75 people
through China, are in themselves,
remarkable. She concluded the ideal way
to go would be in a small group, one that
could fit into one bus.
The food, well, that too, according to
Mrs. Doig was "wonderful".
"There was a lot of preparation done for
our group, but as far as I'm concerned the
food was wonderful. At some of the ban-
quets there were 10-15-17 dishes served.
And I was quite proud of myself, I never
asked for a fork once." Mrs. Doig did note
however that that water is a scarce com-
modity in China, and that most people
drink either orange pop, or Chinese beer,
"There is a lack of water in the hotels.
The water is not drinkable, so you get your
supply in carafes. It is that water that you
use to brush your teeth, and/or drink," she
said.
"I didn't know what to expect. But I
came away feeling very proud to be Cana-
dian. Canadians are very well received in
China, and the people are anxious to learn
about our country," she said.
"I'd like to go back in five to 10 years and
look at the changes that have been made. I
think China is changing rapidly. Look at
the work force they have to deal with, and
the technology. China is already a major
force and if the people were trained they
could be even more so. There could be
phenomenal changes in five to 10 years,"
she concluded.
OUR ELEVATORS
ARE READY
TO RECEIVE
YOUR 1988
WHITE BEAN
CROP
IN 527-0249
THE HURON EXPOSITOR, SEPTEMBER 7, 1988 — SA
' . • t; -tr..; t t11
HEALTH ON THE HILL
A series of bi-weekly reviews of activities at
SEAFORTH COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
NUTRITIONAL "TRIVIA"
Name the American Health Foundation's 1 7 Health Product of the Year The
vegetable oil that lowers serum cholesterol levels the best .... Canola Oil.
The Hospital Auxiliary Gift Shop has for sale two excellent cookbooks, The
Lighthearted Cookbook, Recipes for Healthy Heart Cooking lay Anne Lindsay and
the Canadian Foundation and Choice Cooking by the Canadian Diabetes Assortiation.
"HEART OF GOLD" AWARD WINNER
Congratulations to our own Ward Clerk, Joyce Ribey!! Her on-going display of ,
care and concern for others has been recognized by an outstanding citizen of the
community award, sponsored by the Huron Expositor.
PET THERAPY
We all know the feelings a warm tiny kitten can evoke in all of us. The Seaforth
Hospital Activation Group is hoping pets can work the same magic for their patients.
Mr. Don Fry brought in his dachshund named "Willie" and Mr. and Mrs. John Higgs
supplied their chihuahua 'Tina" for the event. Altogether, eight patiena , one nurse
and one doctor attended. Thankfully the pets were very well behaved and thoroughly
enjoyed by all. If anyone has any suggestions or pets to bring in for the activation
group, please contact Mary Margaret Nash at 527-1650, ext.'141.
SUCCESSFUL RESCUE ATTEMPT
Carol Hunt, RNA is the successful candidate for a Lifesaver Award. She has coin- •
pleted the Cardioplumonary Resuscitation Course and performed a rescue to clear
an obstructed airway while not on a regular shift of duty.
OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM •
Many of us forget a time when we had to pay for all medical costs at point of ser-
vice. The Medical Care Act (1966) ensured that all Canadians would be protected
from the economic consequences of illness. Our Health Care system was based on
five basic principles which still hold true today. Services are to be "comprehen-
sive" and "Accessible" (within reason). Coverage is "universal" (rather than based
on occupation, age or income) and benefits "portable" among the provinces. Ad-
ministration is "public" on a non-profit basis. Canada's Medical System is something
to be proud of.
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