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Lucky to be with help from China: Haitian people

2010-01-19 15:29 BJT

Special Report: Strong Quake Hits Haiti |

"Prenatal development is normal -- both the heart beat and movements of the fetus," Zhang Xuemei, an obstetric doctor on the Chinese rescue team was examining Natha.

Natha, 22, pregnant for seven months, survived Tuesday's earthquake with her baby. Yet the pain of losing her relatives remained a health challenge given her delicate condition.

"I am worried it may cause too much mental pressure to her, which could lead to dangers like intrauterine growth retardation," said Zhang.

Natha was among more than 500 patients having been treated on Monday morning alone in a makeshift treatment camp set up by the Chinese rescue team near Haiti's presidential building. More are waiting and coming.

Cleaning the wounds, dressing them and taking notes. The doctors were repeating the process for hours, neither conscious about their shirts getting wet nor the passing of lunchtime.

"You are welcome. It's our job," they replied to every expression of gratitude from the patients.

It is indeed their job to work under hard conditions. After their arrival in the capital city of Port-au-Prince on Thursday, the group of Chinese rescuers have been working round the clock to save lives.

On Sunday, they rushed to other quake-hit areas in the country as the first batch of 90 tons of relief supplies provided by China arrived in the Haitian capital.

As protests were seen in parts of the quake-traumatized nation against delayed emergency aid, China's peacekeeping riot police in Haiti had to escort medical workers each time they treat the injured on site, despite their own tight schedule.

"There haven't been major incidents by now. But we must lose no time, since when things go out of control, we can do nothing," Hou Shike, chief medical officer on the Chinese rescue team, said.

As the queue grew longer, a local resident passing the site told Xinhua reporters: "There are no medicines here. Many locals have no where to go but to the Chinese medical team."

"The patients are lucky to have you here. May God bless you," he said.

Editor: Su Yu | Source: Xinhua