Swaziland Special Report Series (Part 2)
(Reporter Lin Lianhua) The Kingdom of Swaziland is the only diplomatic ally of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in Africa. The diplomatic relations have entered their 57th year. The government has long assisted the government of Swaziland in its construction. The NATMA North American Taiwanese Medical Association Free Clinic Team, led by team leader Xu Zongbang, will provide free clinics in remote areas and visit relevant units in Eswatini for three days from March 27 to April 2, 2025. In addition to providing medical assistance, there are also donations of medicines and equipment and donations. This is not only a support for local residents, but also brings great psychological feedback to the 21 team members. The “medical diplomacy” carried out with a humanitarian spirit has benefited more than 1,200 local civilians. NATMA has organized groups to provide free clinics in various countries since 2003, with the goal of spreading Taiwan’s love to diplomatic allies. It is of far-reaching significance to go to Africa for the first time in 2025, and it has established a new milestone for NATMA’s free clinics.
The Taiwan government has provided a lot of assistance and construction in the medical field of Swaziland, sending medical teams, providing medical equipment, building medical facilities, and helping to train Swaziland’s medical staff to improve the local public health standards. During this period, the team led by Dr. Zheng Wenxuan of the Taipei Medical College’s medical team in Swaziland played a key role. In addition to outpatient clinics in the new emergency building of Swaziland Hospital from Monday to Friday, there are also outpatient clinics assigned by the embassy twice a month on Saturdays in various parts of Swaziland.
This time, the NATMA free clinic team joined hands with the medical team stationed in Spain to expand the free clinic. Faced with the inconvenient transportation in remote areas and insufficient medical and drug logistics, the most valuable thing about this free clinic was that NATMA leader Xu Zongbang had confirmed the needs in advance and purchased a large amount of medicines worth more than 10,000 US dollars. Patients could get free prescription drugs diagnosed by the doctor immediately after seeing the doctor, and the period of time was relatively long. This was undoubtedly the most immediate help for patients with chronic diseases, infectious diseases, etc.
The leader of the group, Dr. Xu Zongbang, pointed out that due to the limited environment and lack of medical care in the remote countryside, many people came to line up early in the morning, and the queues were long; the free clinic doctors prescribed medicines for skin rashes, colds and coughs, pain relief and anti-inflammatory, blood pressure, depression, malnutrition, etc., and prepared a lot of adult and children’s vitamins to distribute to everyone. Thanks to Dr. Zheng Wenxuan for setting up a simple ultrasound device, which helps patients make more accurate diagnosis with the help of imaging examinations.
On March 27, the medical team went to the east of Mbabane, the capital of Sri Lanka, and drove for more than an hour to the Malindza Refugee Centre, an international refugee camp. With the assistance of the staff of the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka, they served 345 refugees and donated US$5,000 to help the nutrition, health and teaching materials of primary school students in the refugee camp. The Director of the Sri Lankan Refugee Agency, Zanele Mlambo, also came to visit and pay tribute to the medical team.
On the same day, surgeon Dr. Estrada also performed surgery on a liver cancer patient at Shijing Hospital.
Malindza refugee camp is assisted by NGOs such as World Vision and supported by King Mswati III of Sri Lanka. It accommodates refugees fleeing from wars in neighboring countries and usually accommodates about 400 people. Most of the refugees come from neighboring countries such as Congo and Zimbabwe due to war, political unrest and famine. However, due to the war in Mozambique in recent years, the camp currently accommodates more than 800 refugees, and the refugee population has doubled. The overall environment has become even worse. It is reported that the Sri Lankan refugee camp has accommodated up to 1,500 refugees. Even if they cannot obtain permanent residency in Sri Lanka, they have refugee certificates and they all hope to find a glimmer of hope in Sri Lanka.
On the 27th, UNHCR Director Mlambo expressed her gratitude for the love from Taiwan, especially the prescriptions given by the medical team after diagnosis and treatment, so that refugees in remote and difficult situations can get medication in time. She also mentioned that due to limited funds, only the basic survival needs of refugees can be met. In 2024, the king’s benevolence in granting 17 families with resident certificates in the country was a great favor.
The UNHCR officials specifically told reporters not to take close-up photos of the refugees due to asylum reasons and to protect them. The reporter met a refugee who served as an interpreter while helping fill out information such as blood pressure measurements for patients. She invited reporters to visit her and her son’s home. Even though the family only had a small space with one bed, she said she had lived here for more than 10 years since she was a child. She fled here because of the war in her hometown of Congo. Her life is relatively stable. Her biggest dream is to settle down in Congo one day, find a job and raise her children. Although we outsiders will inevitably feel powerless and heartbroken in such a difficult environment, the refugees have shown great tenacity and perseverance, and are full of hope.
The elementary school students in the refugee camp had innocent and well-behaved smiles. The team members distributed the gifts, candies, stickers and stationery they brought to the children. Former NATMA Southern California Chapter President Hou Shuling led the children to shout “Team Taiwan”, bringing the event to a successful conclusion. Everyone reluctantly bid farewell to the local refugees and listened to their voices. The emotions were complicated and difficult to describe. The team members only hoped that in just 6 hours, they could make the refugees feel the most sincere love and care in their difficult situation.
On the 28th, the five heads of the free clinic delegation, Mr. and Mrs. Xu Zongbang, doctor Xu Qinglan, doctor Li Jiajin and pharmacist Wu Beimao, visited the office of the Minister of Health of Sri Lanka, Mduduzi Matesebula, and donated medical equipment and surgical gowns to the Ministry of Health. In his speech, the minister thanked NATMA for its loving free clinic and generous donation. The minister also went to the remote free clinic site in person on the 29th, shook hands with each doctor, and warmly treated each member to the best local corn.
On the morning of the 28th, the entire medical team visited the new emergency building of Mbabane Government Hospital sponsored by the Taiwan government. They were warmly welcomed by the two directors, Dr. Zanele Mlambo and Dr. Thandolwakhe Tembe, as well as CEO Vumile Dlamini and other medical administrative teams. The hospital also specially made a Republic of China flag cake to celebrate the friendship between the two countries. The NATMA medical team also donated medicines, surgical gowns and other medical supplies, and donated US$5,000 to the hospital to purchase medical equipment needed for the surgical operating room. The hospital’s gratitude was beyond words.
On the same day, NATMA President Peter Hou, Assistant Professor of Harvard Medical School, led a teaching team consisting of cardiologist Dr. Osita, surgeon Dr. Estrada and other doctors from the hospital to conduct a full-day medical clinical education seminar.
After the visit on the 28th, the team split into two groups. The other members went to the ACC Amitabha Care Center in the southernmost part of the country. The round trip took 4 hours. They provided free medical treatment to 68 local teachers and students, and donated US$3,000 to help the center with the education of local orphans and children from disadvantaged families.
Doctor Tony Lee has been providing free clinics for many years (Medical Task Force International). Since joining NATMA in 2007, he has led the free clinic team of Dr. Xu Zongbang to Central and South America for free clinics at least 10 times. This is the first time to Swaziland, Africa. He brought many injections and used his special injection method to make patients with long-term illnesses and even mobility problems immediately effective. He said that he was deeply impressed by the impact on the refugee camp on the 27th, but what moved him most was the free clinic at the “ACC Amitabha Care Center” on the 28th.
Li Jiajin learned that the founder was Master Huili from Taiwan, known as the “Buddha Monk”. He took in and educated orphans or disadvantaged children in 6 African countries until they graduated from high school. His love was so far-reaching that people admired him. In particular, under the guidance of Director Wang (Naleli) at the Amitabha Care Center in Shiguo, the group members were surprised that every child could speak fluent Chinese, was very orderly, polite, and could practice kung fu and sing. They were multi-talented, which was even more admirable. All the students fully abided by the rules of life and work in the Buddhist temple, and they ate vegetarian food all year round. Everyone was amazed at the self-discipline of the students.
On March 29, the free clinic was held at the primary school in Nkhaba Village in the north, which lacks medical resources. Many local elderly people, women and children in remote areas lined up with their elderly and children. A total of 613 people were treated for free. Officials including Minister of Health Mduduzi Matsebula, Ambassador Liang Hongsheng and his wife to Shiba, and Member of Parliament Hope Shiba went to inspect the free clinic, and the free clinic was reported by many news media on that day.
The free clinic was arranged by the embassy and coordinated by Councillor Hope Shiba. It went smoothly from physical examination, consultation to medication. After the consultation, each patient was given two health courses on public health and dietary nutrition. They were then given a bag of rice and finally a vegetable bento from the World Vegetable Center, headquartered in Taiwan, which was invited by the embassy to promote home-grown vegetable dishes. The center also gave away seeds and taught them the importance of balanced nutrition.
Dr. Flora Johnson, a physician, examined patients very carefully and found that some of the patients’ problems could not be solved in a short period of time during the free clinic and could only be solved through subsequent referrals. She was also worried about whether the referrals could be successful. She said that she could only keep reminding the patients to seek medical treatment and urge them to seek medical treatment once the cause of the disease was discovered. The compassion of doctors in helping the sick and the injured is also an important significance of the free clinics in remote areas.
In the past, the classification and packaging of free clinic drugs were handled by NATMA. Pharmacists Wu Beimao and Hou Shuling expressed their gratitude to the medical team stationed in Spain for having packaged the drugs in advance. This allowed them to have more spare time to explain the medication requirements and precautions to patients, achieving the effect of “getting twice the result with half the effort”.
The only acupuncturist Huang Yongru is very popular. He said that the country has a large labor force, so there are many patients with back pain, and the transportation facilities are limited. Walking for a long time causes a lot of people to injure their knees. On the 28th, the ACC Amitabha Care Center also found that children practiced kung fu with too high intensity, which made him feel that in the future, he needs to strengthen the promotion of courses on health care of muscles and bones.
After the free clinic, accompanied by senior executives of Shijing Hospital such as Khetsowe Dlamini, the group members were invited to visit Shijing Hospital and experience the local customs and culture. On the 29th, a thanksgiving dinner organized by NATMA was held, and the dean presented small gifts to the group members one by one. Finally, they warmly saw them off at the airport and hoped to meet again next time.
Overseas Chinese Affairs Commissioner/Swatini Taiwanese Businessmen and President of the Chinese Trade Union Liu Shukai also presented souvenirs to each member and introduced the story of her parents’ first generation who came to Swaziland to work hard. She herself loves Taiwanese cuisine and decided to open a Chinese restaurant. She also talked with the members about the opportunities and development of Taiwanese businessmen in Swaziland, and discussed the future prospects of Google’s upcoming establishment in Swaziland.
On April 2, NATMA set out for the Federal Medical Center in Lagos, the largest city in Nigeria, to provide free medical services. Liu Yiping, representative of the local representative office in Nigeria, also warmly welcomed the NATMA free medical team for their first visit to the country to provide free medical services and medical education, to provide free medical services to local people, and to truly live up to the spirit of “Taiwan can help, Taiwan is helping” advocated by the Taiwan government. They are expected to return to the United States on April 11, completing NATMA’s first free medical service mission in Africa.
