Geng Zhiying: Patients' Recovery Deserves All Our Efforts

Geng Zhiying is a doctor of the Department of Respiratory Medicine of Dongying People's Hospital, in East China's Shandong Province. She was one of the first batch of medical team members from Shandong to assist Central China's Hubei Province, epicenter of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

On January 25, she went to the Dabieshan Region Medical Treatment Center of Huanggang City, in Hubei. She was in charge of the west zone of the fourth floor where 41 patients in critical condition were accommodated.

"It was more difficult to build the west zone in the treatment center than the east zone. Since half of the Shandong's medical team members were dispatched to work in the east area, we got only the other half to build the west," Geng said, adding that as a doctor she came a long way to Hubei to fight against the epidemic and would never shrink back.

"We can definitely defeat the virus!" It is her firm faith, confidence and hope that Geng delivers to the patients and their family members.

In the west zone, there was an 86-year-old woman. She and her younger daughter were infected with COVID-19. The old lady was sent to the ICU (intensive care unit) and her oxygen saturation was only 35 percent.

By the efforts of medical staff, she survived. Later, her condition worsened again. Geng used her seasoned medical skills to give symptomatic treatment to the senior patient, helping her gradually recover.

Geng recalled another patient, an elderly man, whom she also treated. At the beginning, he refused to receive treatment.

Knowing that the old man's son lived overseas, Geng persuaded his wife and son to make frequent phone calls to cheer him up so as to help him recover as soon as possible.

Through many such calls and other efforts, the elderly man gradually trusted the medical staff and actively cooperated with treatment; as a result, he showed negative test results and healthy CT images.

Geng led her team in treating 70 patients, 46 of whom have recovered and have been discharged from hospital, in 31 days.

"The work is very hard, but I'm happy because all efforts have paid off," Geng said. 

(Source: China Women's News/Translated and edited by Women of China)