She is the first Chinese citizen working in Tajikistan to receive such a top medical award.

 Yan Hui (L), president of the China-Tajikistan Medical Diagnosis and Treatment Center, is awarded a top Tajik medical medal at the awards ceremony. (Photo: courtesy of the interviewee)

“I was surprised and honored to be the recipient. This is a very important milestone in my career and recognition of my work in Tajikistan over the years,” she said.

Born in the Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture of Bortala, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, she first came to Tajikistan in 2011 at the invitation of a friend. She was deeply impressed by the warmth and kindness of local people.

About two years later, she went back to work in Tajikistan. As time went by, she noticed the long-term shortage of medical supplies there. To better serve local people and overseas Chinese, she came up with the idea of establishing a traditional Chinese medicine hospital here.

Since the Tajik government also hoped to improve the medical service level, so the China-Tajikistan Medical Diagnosis and Treatment Center was set up in October 2022.

While working to improve the medical center, Yan faced challenges related to cultural differences and language issues between local staff and Chinese specialists. To tackle these issues, a dedicated translation team was set up, and cross-cultural training sessions were organized to help both sides understand each other.

Yan also made it a point to learn the local language and immerse herself in the local culture, which helped build a strong foundation of trust and collaboration.

 Yan on her ward rounds with her colleagues. (Photo: courtesy of the interviewee)

Featuring acupuncture therapy and Chinese herbal treatment, the center has been collaborating with well-known hospitals in China, which send expert teams regularly to Tajikistan to conduct free clinical treatment. It has also built partnership with some Chinese scientific research institutions and jointly carried out several medical researches, especially in the field of public health, according to Yan.

In the future, Yan plans to establish a regional medical training center in Tajikistan to promote the digital health program. Utilizing Internet technology to provide the telemedicine and health management services, it will ensure that more people benefit from quality medical resources.