Chinese medical team to depart for Benin

YINCHUAN, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region will send a team to West African country of Benin to provide medical services for locals, the regional health commission said Wednesday.

A total of 25 medical staff will depart for Benin on Friday and work there for a year, the commission said, adding this would be the 24th medical team from Ningxia to Benin.

Tian Tong, 53, an expert of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and also the team leader, said team members would overcome problems such as language barriers and rough working and living conditions to successfully complete their mission.

The members are from local hospitals in Ningxia, covering fields of internal medicine, surgery, gynecology, pediatrics and TCM.

China has been dispatching medical teams to Benin since 1978. Ningxia has sent 23 teams of nearly 600 medical care personnel to the country.

The 23rd medical team from Ningxia set up a TCM consulting room and pushed forward the development of online medical care services in Benin, according to the commission.