Just what the doctor ordered

The dedication and hard work of a 'village doctor' in Shanxi province make us believe in human kindness and selfless duty, write Sun Ruisheng in Lyuliang, Shanxi province, and Li Yang in Beijing

Zhang Shangbao, 62, has worked as a "village doctor" in Hehe town of Shilou county, North China's Shanxi province, since the age of 16. He has been serving more than 1,000 farmers in five hamlets deep in the mountains, and continues to work even after losing his right hand in an accident in 1995. In fact, Zhang has chosen to work as a "village doctor" despite reaching the retirement age in 2020.

Governments of various levels have given many rewards to Zhang for his contribution to public health in rural areas. Yet Zhang believes that helping save poor farmers' lives is the best reward for him.

The five hamlets are located in a valley along the Hehe River, a small tributary of the Yellow River which strings them like pearls on a necklace, although they are separated by mountains.

Before the national poverty alleviation and rural vitalization programs reached their villages, many elderly farmers had not even visited the urban part of Shilou county.

As for Zhang, he lives in a cave dwelling in one of the villages called Tietou.

One of Zhang's biggest regrets is that despite the government building roads connecting the villages with the outside world, he cannot ride a motorcycle to reach the villages because he lost a hand in the accident 27 years ago. So he has no choice but to walk to the homes of his patients. But he has become somewhat of an expert in diagnosing ailments and prescribing treatments despite losing his right hand.

Old shoes tell their own story

Zhang has dozens of shoes under his bed, shoes that other people, especially in the cities, would have thrown away long ago. But for Zhang, they remain useful. As Zhang said: "I keep them for use during an emergency. In case one of my shoes is torn, I can put on any of the old ones. Although they might not be exactly the same pair, it saves time, and time is life for doctors."

Zhang said that normally a pair of shoes lasts about one month, because he has to trudge through rough mountainous terrains. But he throws away shoes only when they are beyond repair.

Talking about his experience as a "village doctor", Zhang, who grew up with many brothers and sisters, said when they fell ill, it was always the sole "village doctor" that came to treat them. Since the sole "village doctor" was highly respected in the village and praised by his parents and other farmers in the village, the young Zhang thought it was a great honor to be a "village doctor".

After graduating from junior middle school, Zhang was encouraged by the villagers to study traditional Chinese medicine at the Yidie Health School. After graduating from the school in 1976, Zhang returned to his village to work as a "barefoot doctor" carrying a medicine chest on his shoulder.

While working on the family's farm, he studied medicine under the only doctor in the village at the time. Later, he went to Lyuliang Health School to study TCM. After graduating from Lyuliang Health School in 1978, Zhang could have sought a posting in the city, but he chose to return to the village to serve the farmers.

Whether in the scorching summer heat or freezing winter cold, Zhang has always been on call round-the-clock.

Recovering from a tragic accident

Recalling the tragic incident on the day he lost his right hand, Zhang said that during the summer of 1995, he was helping a fellow villager thresh wheat. Tired and sleepy from working late into the night for several days, Zhang accidentally put his right hand into the thresher and lost his limb. The accident dealt a heavy blow to Zhang, who lost his confidence for some time. But thinking of his old mother and two teenage sons, he couldn't bring himself to "end" his life.

Although Zhang was nursed back to health by his loving and caring wife, dark clouds shrouded his thoughts and he lost interest in life. But some villagers still sought his services. Initially, he refused to give the villagers intravenous drips because he thought he couldn't insert the needle in the medicine bottle or polythene pouch and the veins of the patients with his left hand, but his patients trusted him and encouraged him to give it a try.

With years of experience and after several tries, Zhang succeeded in his efforts. It was at that moment, according to Zhang, that he saw hope and slowly regained confidence in his ability and decided to perform his duty with only one hand.

Zhang started using his left hand with increasing success. He practiced writing, giving injections, inserting intravenous needles, and doing farm work with his left hand. After recuperating at home for several months, Zhang returned to the village clinic, carrying his medicine box on his back and walking up the mountain roads to deliver medicines and provide medical care to the villagers again.

Huo Junlin, a female farmer in the village, said Zhang saved her widower father's life in 1982, when he was living alone in the village and developed pneumonia. Zhang took care of the elderly man until Huo returned home to take care of her father.

Recalling the incident, Huo couldn't help crying: "Before my father died, he told us sisters to remember the good deed of Doctor Zhang for the rest of our lives."

But Zhang said his deeds are not praiseworthy as "'Old Huo' was not only my patient, but also my fellow villager".

Another villager, He Linxi, has been bedridden due to cerebral infarction for eight years. Zhang regularly visits him and helps him with medication and psychological counseling. He's wife said: "My husband wouldn't have survived even a month had it not been for Doctor Zhang."

And Zhang Fengjun, Party secretary of Tietou village, said: "For so many years, whenever the farmers from the five villages have fallen ill, their first thought has been Doctor Zhang, because irrespective of the summer heat, heavy downpour or biting cold, he has always been on call. They can count on him."

In recent years, thanks to the development of grassroots medical and healthcare services, the government has introduced a series of policies to protect people's health. Accordingly, Zhang has built a "health file" for each of the villagers as required. Although he writes down the details himself, he invites other people to type the information into the computer.

Zhang has continued to work even though he could have retired in 2020, because he thinks that since many of the youths have migrated to cities for work, the left-behind senior residents in the villages need special medical care. "If I retire, there might not be a village doctor soon as few doctors are willing to work in remote, mountainous areas."

Contact the writers at sunruisheng@chinadaily.com.cn

Zhang Shangbao on his way to visit a patient in Shilou county, Shanxi province. LIU LIANGLIANG/FOR CHINA DAILY

Zhang Shangbao checks the blood pressure of a farmer in Tietou village of Shilou, Shanxi. LIU LIANGLIANG/FOR CHINA DAILY

Zhang at work in his clinic in Tietou village. LIU LIANGLIANG/FOR CHINA DAILY