By Grace Auka Salmang in Port Moresby
It isn’t every day that a doctor will follow up with a patient and check how he or she is doing all the way to their very doorstep in Papua New Guinea.
For one family from Eboa village in Mekeo LLG, Kairuku in Central Province, their weekend was filled with a pleasant surprise as a team of doctors paid a visit to their little warrior named Taylor.
Three-month-old baby boy Taylor is a miracle, said Dr Liu Zhenqui, who is deputy captain of the 12th China Medical Team and also an associate professor of paediatrics at the Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH).
Little Taylor’s story is one filled with love of a mother, support of a family, and little Taylor’s determination and resilience to live. Taylor was born with a severe respiratory failure which posed a significant threat to his life.
“We learned from the video that just a few months ago newborn Taylor faced a severe respiratory failure, posing a significant threat to his life,” Dr Liu said.
“However, through the combined efforts of the China Medical Team and the SCN at PMGH, we employed cutting-edge techniques called ventilation and advanced medical care to save Taylor’s precious life.
“Taylor’s journey to recovery can only be described as a miracle.
“From the day he came under our care, we knew that every second was crucial.
“Our dedicated healthcare professionals worked tirelessly day and night, leaving no effort spared to provide Taylor with the best possible care,” he added.
Dr Liu said that the “love and dedication poured into his treatment” not only saved his life but also strengthened the bond between the medical team and the local community”.
It was also an honour to have Sister Kuman, the head nurse of Special Care Nursery at PMGH, with the team, he said.
Since they had missed out on how Taylor’s life began at the hospital, his relatives all gathered around a laptop to watch the video and were deeply moved and amazed by his determination and resilience.
“Today, witnessing Taylor’s radiant smile and remarkable progress fills our hearts with immense joy, serving as compelling evidence of the boundless potential in every newborn.
“He stands as a living example, proving that with the right medical care, love, and support, even the tiniest of lives can overcome challenges and flourish,” Dr Liu said.
In fact, Dr Liu was a retained member of the China Medical Team — he had been due to return to China in July last year.
However, he made the decision to stay because of witnessing a mother’s sorrow.
“One day in early last year, a full-term baby was diagnosed with asphyxia and meconium aspiration syndrome, precisely the same diagnosis as Taylor.
“Unfortunately, due to severe respiratory failure, the child passed away.
“The mother, overwhelmed with grief, fainted upon seeing her baby’s lifeless body.
“From that moment on, ‘I made a silent vow in my heart to do something to change this situation,'” Dr Liu said.
Grace Auka Salmang is a PNG Post-Courier reporter. Republished with permission.
