'Bright Journey' shows depth of China-Laos friendship and ties

VIENTIANE－A team of eye specialists from Yunnan province concluded a "Bright Journey" in Vientiane, capital of Laos, late last month, highlighting the bilateral people-to-people friendship.

They provided free surgery to 94 Laotian cataract patients at the Laos' National Ophthalmology Center in Vientiane.

The 2019 "Bright Journey", which was launched by the Yunnan Folk Friendship with Foreign Countries Exchange Foundation, dispatched a medical team consisting of professional medical staff from the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University. They also donated medicine, materials and equipment.

Xienglien Vongvichit, 67, a farmer from Laos' northwestern Botane district of Xayabury province, on hearing of the team's arrival in Vientiane, undertook a five-hour journey for surgery.

When talking to the media on Nov 25, Xienglien had just completed his post-operation review. "Now I can see clearly," he said with delight.

Phansy Sivixay, 74, had cataracts in both eyes. "I feel the surgery was well done and the review this morning showed a favorable outcome," she said.

"After hearing of China's Bright Journey coming to the hospital, I was very happy and hurried to register for surgery.

"Now I can see everything clearly."

At the opening ceremony of the event on Nov 22, Nao Boutta, director-general of the cabinet under the Laos Ministry of Health, said that Bright Journey, by providing free surgery for cataract patients in Laos and restoring their eyesight, will contribute positively to promoting the health of Laotian people.

Kham Aod Nuansavanh, 29, a doctor at the Laos' National Ophthalmology Center, helped the Bright Journey team to select patients and conduct preoperative examinations and evaluations.

"The results are fairly good after the surgeries," she said. "The Chinese doctors applied high-tech methods to perform the surgery. I feel happy for the patients."

The cost of cataract surgery is still high in Laos, so the free surgery was welcomed by the patients, according to the Laotian doctor.

Liu Zehui, the deputy secretary-general of the foundation, said during the launch ceremony that since its establishment in November 2013, the foundation has been actively carrying out public welfare projects in Laos.

"Making friends through sincerity enables lasting friendship, and only people-to-people bonds can lay a solid social and public foundation for the friendship between the two countries," Liu said. "Carrying out the Bright Journey here is an important step to build the bond between the people of China and Laos."

The foundation has organized activities such as Bright Journey, themed as "delivering brightness, friendship, love and intimacy", in Vientiane and Luang Prabang in northern Laos three times so far this year. It provided free cataract operations for 474 patients with a 100 percent success rate.