Remarks by Chinese Ambassador Lin Xianjiang at the launching of the HIFU services at the Dominica-China Friendship Hospital
2022-03-16 23:31

Hon. Irving McIntyre, Minister of Health, Wellness and New Health Investment,

Dr. Ruby Blanc, 

Dr. Dexter James, 

Dear friends,

Ladies and Gentlemen,


Good morning.

Today, I am pleased to attend the Launch of HIFU (High-intensity focused ultrasound)Services. HIFU and MRI are the two most important equipment in the Reconstruction and Expansion Project of Dominica China Friendship Hospital(DCFH). On October 25th last year, the MRI was put into use. Back then,Hon. McIntyre announced that “the new MRI machine will take diagnostic capabilities at DCFH to the next level” and “Dominica is the only country in the OECS to have MRI scan services at a public hospital”. From now on, HIFU will take treatment capabilities at DCFH to a new level and Dominica is also the only country to have HIFU in the OECS. 

HIFU is a piece of high-end medical equipment,  independently developed by China with complete intellectual property rights. It has passed the EU certification and has been exported to more than 30 countries and regions such as the United Kingdom and Italy. It is widely used in the treatment of benign and malignant tumors, common gynecological diseases, and rehabilitation. HIFU is a non-invasive treatment approach that uses precisely delivered ultrasound energy to achieve tumor cell necrosis without radiation or surgical excision.

To ensure that the doctors of DCFH can master and use this high-end equipment proficiently, the Chinese expert team overcame difficulties and taught them all in the two-month on-site training. I believe that the patients of Dominica will soon benefit from it.

China and Dominica have a long history of cooperation in the field of health care. Since 2009, batches of medical team members have come to Dominica to devote themselves to the cause of health care. They have worked shoulder to shoulder with their Dominican counterparts in serving the general public together. Their achievements are there to see. Last year on May 22nd the Cardiology department was set up in Dominica. Cardiovascular disease patients can be diagnosed and treated locally on time. In January this year, the medical team donated ophthalmology and cardiovascular medical equipment worth EC$80,000 to DCFH.

In addition, I have a good news for you all. The Reconstruction and Expansion Project of DCFH has entered the final stage and will be handed over to the Dominican government in the first half of this year. It will greatly enhance Dominica's dominant position in the Caribbean healthcare sector. Director of the Pan American Health Association (PAHO), Dr. Clarissa Etienne spoke highly of this project. She said “These are world-class services, some of which are not available in the rest of the OECS and even the wider Caribbean in terms of the public health sector”, “Dominica can become a center of excellence not just for the OECS but also for many countries in the Caribbean”. 

As the saying goes, time sees people's hearts. As an intimate friend of Dominica, China always pays attention to the needs of the country and the people of Dominica and assists within its capacity. I hope that China and Dominica will always be connected and help each other, bringing more benefits to the two peoples through closer cooperation.


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