The Healing Heart: How a Village Doctor’s Attitude is Inspiring a Healthier Community

Lifestyle

Xu Qiusheng is an 81-year-old village doctor who finds solace in nature. When he is not attending to his patients, he likes to look out of the window of his clinic. The lush green foliage of an old camphor tree that stays verdant throughout the year provides him with a sense of relief and calm.

With years of experience under his belt, Xu Qiusheng has been a witness to the changing landscapes of his village. However, the old camphor tree outside his clinic remains a constant source of comfort to him. He often gazes out of his window and admires the tree, finding peace in its enduring nature.

Xu Qiusheng has been a village doctor in Yangfang village, Fengcheng city, in East China’s Jiangxi province for over 50 years. Throughout his career, he has treated multiple generations of families, including Chen Donggen’s, who brought his granddaughter to Xu’s clinic.

Families in the village have grown to trust Xu’s expertise, with some of them travelling far distances just to seek his medical treatment. During the consultation, Xu uses acupuncture, which is the most commonly used method to treat pain in traditional Chinese medicine. Using a very thin needle from his wooden medical kit, he gently inserted the needle into the skin of the little girl’s hands and head after briefly inquiring about her condition.

Xu’s patients often express their gratitude for his care and dedication to their well-being. His love for his profession and compassion towards his patients have made him an invaluable member of the community.

He has been using a set of silver needles for decades to relieve villagers of their ailments, such as joint pains, frozen shoulders, and headaches. The villagers trust and respect him for his dedication and medical expertise.

Chen Donggen, who took his feverish granddaughter to Xu’s clinic, says, “Three generations of my family, my parents, and my grandchildren all come to Uncle Xu for treatment.” Xu’s presence in the village has brought comfort and relief to the villagers.

Village doctors like Xu, who work at grassroots medical institutions, are often referred to as “guardians of health.” They have played a significant role in treating hundreds of millions of farmers in rural areas. Despite their busy schedules, these doctors offer outpatient services during the day and attend to emergency cases in the evenings. They are on call round the clock for their patients.

Xu is a testament to the dedication and passion of village doctors in China. Despite his age, he continues to serve his community and make a difference in the lives of those around him.

For over five decades, he has worked tirelessly to serve the people of his community, often treating patients without charge, especially those facing financial difficulties. Xu keeps the bills of his patients in an accounting book, allowing them to pay later or giving them credit. He even forgives debts when necessary, despite living a frugal life himself.

In addition to providing medical care, Xu also maintains regular contact with high-risk people in the village to monitor their health conditions. He makes house calls and checks on his patients, ensuring they are taking their medication and receiving proper treatment. This level of personal attention has earned him the nickname “guardian of health,” and his patients trust him implicitly.

In recent years, Xu has been joined in his work by his daughter, who followed in his footsteps to become a village doctor. The two of them went door-to-door during the Spring Festival to visit the elderly, measuring their blood pressure and blood oxygen levels. The health of more than 1,400 villagers in Yangfang has become the responsibility of rural doctors like Xu and his daughter.

Xu’s clinic receives up to 30 patients a day, and he and his fellow doctors deliver medicines to the villagers’ doors. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, the village was able to smoothly pass its peak infection rate, thanks in no small part to the dedication and hard work of village doctors like Xu. Xu is proud to have inspired his daughter and grandson to become doctors, and he hopes that the next generations of doctors in rural areas will continue to be the guardians of villagers, treating their patients like family members.

Village doctors like Xu, who work at grassroots medical institutions, play a significant role in treating hundreds of millions of farmers in rural areas. They are often referred to as “guardians of health,” offering outpatient services during the day and attending to emergency cases in the evenings. They are on call round the clock for their patients. The health of more than 1,400 villagers in Yangfang has become the responsibility of rural doctors like Xu and his daughter, who hope that the next generations of doctors in rural areas will continue to be the guardians of villagers, treating their patients like family members.