China East
In 1987, EMAS sent the first China team to the city of Wenzhou at the southeast coast of China, marking the beginning of the China East Team. Since then, China East teams have gone to cities throughout China, from Kunming (Southwest) to Changchun (Northeast), from Xian (Central china) to Xiamen (Southeast), with team members from North America, Asia and Australia. While our main focus is education and East/West information exchange, another key component has been providing hands-on dental service for psychiatric patients and hospital staff.
1. China East Mental Health Team
This is the largest of the three China East teams. As in the West, mental illness often carries a stigma in society, even within the healthcare profession. The Mental Health Team works to address the stigma and other needs by conducting conferences, seminars and workshops at the invitation of local hospitals to share western mental health experience and its expertise. Members specializing in child and youth mental health have participated in both the Mental Health and the Pediatrics teams. Local communities (universities, business and/or churches) have provided us opportunities/venues to hold open sessions to promote mental health and other medical/dental topics. This team needs psychiatrists, child psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, clinical social workers, child and family therapists, counsellors, dentists, dental assistants and interpreters.
2. China East Pediatrics Team
The Pediatrics team engages in teaching activities, including two decades in Suzhou where in addition to education, we contributed financially to the building of an oncology ward and funding for medications for low income patients. Recently, the team has gone to Xiamen and surrounding cities (Sanming, Longyan), Yangzhou, and Kunming. We have taught certification in Basic Life Support and Neonatal Advanced Life Support. Currently the main activities include teaching in conferences, seminars, and ward rounds for local physicians and nurses. The team needs pediatricians, pediatric sub-specialists, pharmacists, pediatric and neonatal nurses, and interpreters.
PARTICIPATION
If you are interested in the China East team, whether as a donor for our members or projects financially, a helper to translate our teaching material, or want to join us to go to China, please contact China East Team Leader.
FINANCIAL AID
Donations should be allocated to the China East Fund.
DONATIONS
Help provide essential medical training and healthcare services in eastern China:
• $200 supports a mental health patient’s rehabilitation for one year
• $200 enables a local healthcare worker to attend a medical conference
• $300 provides essential medical support for chronically ill patient