About 380 female doctors and nurses and 124 medical units from all over the country were cited for their distinguished work for public health in Beijing last Friday.

The honoured recipients include hospital deans and medical scientists, staff from local centres for disease control as well as doctors and nurses from local hospitals. There is also a special award for those who bravely fought in the frontline against SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) when it broke out early this year.

"It's the first time that female medical workers have been awarded with these prestigious national prizes. And it's a great day to be remembered," said Hu Yamei, 80, one of the most eminent experts in paediatrics in China, who was invited to hand out the awards at the meeting.

According to organizers from the China Medical Women's Association, there are around 1.2 million female medical workers employed in all kinds of medical departments in China, accounting for 52 per cent for all medical workers in the country.

"The selected people and units represent the best in the nation," said Lin Jiamei, the chairman of the China Medical Women's Association. "They may not be the most famous doctors in their fields, but their dedication towards medical science and their careers deserve to be recognized."

He Jianghong, 51, an expert on tumours from Urumqi, was one of only two doctors from the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region who were honoured at the event.

"As both women and doctors, we owe much to our husbands and children as we've paid too much attention to work," He said.

Although joyous during the presentation of the awards and gathering with so many fellow medical workers, He Jianghong said she had to hurry back to the hospital as soon as possible because there were new patients waiting for her care.

He Jianghong added that she felt a little disappointed that fewer medical workers from western provinces were selected this time compared to those from eastern and southern provinces.

"I hope next time western provinces will receive more attention, since we are facing tougher conditions than our richer eastern counterparts," she said.

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