On May 16, 2024, the first-batch appointed experts for China-Africa Counterpart Hospital Cooperation Mechanism Project, Chief Technician Li Junjun from Department of Radiology and Laboratorian Wang Zhonglin from Clinical Laboratory of the First Affiliated Hospital (FAH) of Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), returned to Xi'an after a 3-month professional guidance in Malawi.

On February 22, 2024, two experts arrived at Mzuzu Central Hospital in Malawi, and then quickly contacted with Attending Physician Shang Jin from Department of Radiology and Laboratorian Zhang Ning from Clinical Laboratory rapidly, two medical aid team members of FAH, handled shift and started to work.

Department of Radiology and Clinical Laboratory of Mzuzu Central Hospital, the counterpart cooperation hospital of FAH, encountered multiple problems, such as insufficient human resources, backward testing equipment, nonstandard equipment operation and weak professional theoretical knowledge, etc. Two experts learned about the development status of local disciplines, sorted out problems, modified plans, and actively searched for bottleneck problems and gaps in local hospital work. During medical aid in Malawi, they carried out counterpart construction from four aspects: equipment donation, theoretical training, practical teaching and scientific research cooperation.

Chief Technician Li Junjun completed 562 cases of plain CT scan and CAT examination, covering the head, neck, chest, abdomen, pelvic cavity and vertebral body, etc. He also conducted 21 on-site technical operation and teaching trainings, including daily equipment maintenance, CT equipment operation specification, inspection operation specification, contrast agent injection regimen and image post-processing, etc. Under the guidance of experts from FAH, the radiologists from Mzuzu Central Hospital conducted retrospective analyses of the prevalence of endemic diseases based on CT scan data, and prospectively carried out low-dose CT screening of chest and abdomen in specific populations. At present, bilateral sides are working together to formulate CT scan specifications and expert consensus that meet local requirements.

Laboratorian Wang Zhonglin assisted Clinical Laboratory to complete the installation and debugging of related equipment. He completed a total of 720 cases of 7 microbiological related tests including urine and cerebrospinal fluid culture and drug sensitivity analysis, blood Cryptococcus antigen detection, sterile body fluid culture and drug sensitivity analysis, vaginal specimen culture and drug sensitivity analysis, conducted 31 on-site technical operation, teaching and trainings for 98 medical staff, held 7 academic lectures for 40 medical staff, and formulated and translated 22 SOPs. He also actively coordinated all parties to resolve the problem of lack of consumables and reagents, and significantly improve the positive detection rate of bacterial culture in local hospitals. Using H-800 urine analyzer donated by FAH, he conducted 11 items of urine dry chemistry by photoelectric colorimetric principle in Mzuzu Central Hospital, and all of them have been successfully recognized as new medical technologies of the hospital. Meantime, Wang Zhonglin joined hands with Mzuzu Hospital and Laboratorian Zhang Ning to carry out further scientific research cooperation in the distribution of plasmodium and bacterial drug resistance.

Thanks to unremitting efforts of two experts, the testing and diagnostic capabilities of Department of Radiology and Clinical Laboratory of Mzuzu Central Hospital have been significantly improved, which plays a critical role in promoting early diagnosis and precise treatment of endemic diseases.