PRAIA, March 9 (Xinhua) -- On International Women's Day, a long queue stretching from a classroom doorway deep into the corridor became the most striking scene at Cesaltina Ramos Secondary School in Praia, the capital of Cape Verde.
Inside, desks were pushed together to form makeshift consultation tables. Blood pressure monitors, medicines and registration forms covered the surfaces.
With gynecology, internal medicine and traditional Chinese medicine stations set up side by side, members of the 22nd Chinese medical team in Cape Verde leaned over patients, listened closely and moved briskly from one consultation to another.
For the nine Chinese doctors and medical workers on site, the March 8 outreach clinic was a chance to bring healthcare closer to the community and turn festive greetings into concrete protection for women's health.
At around 9:00 a.m. local time, the clinic was already in full swing. Basic screening, blood pressure checks and health consultations were conducted simultaneously as residents continued to arrive.
Hou Xiaoyu, a Chinese obstetrician-gynecologist, saw a woman who was 35 weeks pregnant. After a preliminary assessment, Hou identified signs indicating a high risk of severe preeclampsia and immediately advised her to seek further examination and treatment at the hospital.
By the end of the day, she was admitted for antihypertensive treatment. "Luckily, we met her during this outreach clinic," Hou said. Severe preeclampsia is a serious pregnancy complication that can endanger both mother and baby if not detected in time, she added.
Another patient, an 82-year-old local woman, had long suffered from intestinal parasites. After learning about her condition, Chinese doctor Jiang Huali recommended deworming treatment and advised her to refrain from drinking untreated water and maintain hand hygiene before meals and after using the toilet.
The steady stream of patients also kept translator Huang Xiaoyu constantly on the move.
"There are a lot of people, and many local residents mainly speak Creole in their daily lives, which makes communication difficult," Huang said. "I tried to be as patient as possible, confirming medical history and symptoms bit by bit, so the doctors could understand each case more quickly and accurately."
First Lady of Cape Verde Debora Katisa Carvalho attended the event, expressing her delight in seeing many women who came not only by themselves, but also with family members.
She said diseases such as cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure are relatively common in Cape Verde, adding that women should strengthen health awareness and pay greater attention to regular screening and self-management.
Carvalho said she had joined the Chinese medical team on several previous community visits and had seen both the positive response from local residents and the dedication of the Chinese doctors.
"When Chinese doctors go into communities to provide free consultations, it is real help for many families," she said, expressing gratitude to the team for its long-term contribution to the health of the Cape Verdean people.
Chen Feng, head of the 22nd Chinese medical team in Cape Verde, said the outreach clinic on International Women's Day was held in the community to bring essential medical services to those who need them most.
"For us, this outreach clinic is an opportunity to move medical services and health intervention further forward," Chen said. "Being able to identify problems at the community level, give timely reminders and refer patients for further care is exactly where the value of our medical aid lies." ■