Liangjiang community health service center provides services to expatriate residents

Ms Saipan and her infant pose for a picture with Mu Hao during a regular check-up at the Dazhulin Community Health Service Center. [photo provided by Mu Hao] 

The Dazhulin Community Health Service Center in Liangjiang New Area has launched English training for its medical professionals to help expatriate residents easily access free vaccinations, health consultations, and other essential services. 

The language training program was initiated to support a transnational family residing in Dazhulin. Last December, a Thai national named Ms Saipan gave birth. As neither she nor her French husband spoke Chinese, the center mobilized three medical professionals specializing in vaccination and pediatric care to undertake specialized language training. The program focused on practical medical terminology, appointment protocols, and daily conversational skills, ensuring uninterrupted health services. 

In China, community health centers provide free health services for children aged zero to six. That includes visits to the homes of newborns, standardized vaccinations, regular health check-ups, nutritional assessments, and personalized guidance. These services aim to prevent common childhood illnesses and promote physical and mental well-being. 

During the first home visit, a staff member explained available medical resources to Ms Saipan's family and assigned pediatrician Mu Hao as their contact. Mu conducts regular follow-ups with the family, monitoring the infant's growth, scheduling immunizations, and offering feeding advice. 

"At the first check-up, the baby was found to be borderline underweight and shorter than most children of her age. We provided tailored feeding and nutrition advice, and within a month, the baby showed improvements in growth," Mu said. Such interventions address a common challenge faced by new parents, who often lack experience in proper feeding practices. This can lead to nutritional deficiencies in infants and hinder their growth. 

Apart from pediatric care, the Center offers family doctor services for residents, including expatriate residents. "A family doctor is like a medically-trained friend who provides 24/7 consultations, preliminary diagnoses, and referrals to specialized hospitals if needed," said Zhao Guoli, the center's director.

"By breaking language barriers, we hope to help expatriates obtain efficient healthcare services and make them feel supported and at home here," Zhao emphasized.

Having already supported three expatriate families, the center aims to extend English-language services across all departments to support more international households, according to Zhao.