Rwandan people wait to receive free health care from Chinese doctors in Kigali, capital city of Rwanda, on April 4, 2019. About 300 patients had been treated during the free health care service provided by the 19th China Medical Team in Rwanda in the past three days, and over 100 patients came on Thursday for the treatment. (Xinhua/Lv Tianran)

By Xinhua writer Lyu Tianran

KIGALI, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese doctor Zhao Shangjun was leading a puncture operation on the knee of a boy on Thursday in a small consulting room of Gahanga Health Center in southern Kigali.

The boy, whose knee was swollen due to the water inside, had been suffering pain caused by the water for about a month after doing sports.

After four syringes of water were drew out of his body, the atmosphere in the room finally became relaxed. While the orthopedics doctor was telling the boy's mother matters needing attention after the operation, other Chinese doctors called the next Rwandan patient to the room for a checkup.

About 300 patients had been treated during the free health care service provided by the 19th China Medical Team in Rwanda in the past three days, and over 100 patients came on Thursday for the treatment.

"We want to provide support to the Rwandan people, especially to those poorer people who are not able to afford medicines and higher quality health care," said Yang Wenhui, chief of the medical team.

"People's health is highly important to a country. Only when people's health and basic life are guaranteed can the society be stable," said Yang.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the 1994 genocide against Tutsi. The annual commemoration of the genocide will be held from April 7 to July 4, which is in line with the period of the genocide.

All 12 medical workers including those working in southeastern Rwanda's Kibungo hospital joined the activity in the capital city.

27-year-old Xavier Hagenimana had headache for around two months. He decided to come to see the Chinese doctors after hearing that they can heal serious diseases.

"They treated me well and I don't have headache now," the security guard said.

"Chinese doctors help people heal diseases that other doctors failed to resolve. Their treatment is so wonderful and so good," said Hagenimana with smiles.

"They are good people. I wish they can continue going around the country, healing our diseases," he said.

Primary school student Chantal Bamporineza had a severe facial pain before receiving acupuncture treatment from the Chinese doctor. The pain was much relieved, she said.

"I feel ok now," said Bamporineza, who had suffered from the pain in the past two years and had never seen doctors before due to financial strain.

"Many thanks for Chinese doctors who treated me without charging me," the girl said.

Some patients in the area can not afford the transportation to the district hospital, a higher-level medical institution in Rwanda's health system, according to Emmanuel Habarurema, head of Gahanga Health Center.

"This activity is very important in our catchment area, as people live far from hospitals and many poor patients have no capacity to receive medication or consultation from the district hospital," said Habarurema.

Habarurema added that the health center serves the Gahanga sector with the population of about 44,000 and other people living in neighboring sectors.

The health center currently has 29 workers in total, including paramedical staff, according to him. There is a shortage of staff, he said.

The medical team also plans to provide medical equipment to the health center.