China Medical Team Starts the First Breast Disease Clinic at PMGH to Improve Women's Healthcare in PNG

The 14th China Medical Team to Papua New Guinea (PNG) has officially launched the country’s first standardized breast disease clinic at Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH), marking a new phase of greater precision and public-welfare collaboration in China-PNG healthcare cooperation.  

As the most populous nation in the South Pacific, PNG has long struggled with insufficient medical resources and expertise, leading to delayed screenings, late diagnoses, and inadequate treatment for breast cancer. According to the World Health Organization, most breast cancer patients in PNG are diagnosed at advanced stages, with a five-year survival rate of less than 40%.  The establishment of the clinic will address challenges in breast disease diagnosis and treatment.

Patients and their families waiting for medical consultation early in the morning

Dr. Deng Yongchun, a breast surgery specialist from Chongqing University Cancer Hospital and a member of the 14th China Medical Team, claimed: “Many patients previously had to seek treatment overseas, but the high costs and complex procedures made this impossible for most families. This clinic aims to provide timely, standardized care for local women within their own communities.”  

The newly established clinic integrates screening, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation, equipped with advanced donation devices from China, such as digital breast ultrasound machines and biopsy systems. Through a “theoretical training combined with surgical mentorship” model, China Medical Team has trained PNG’s first cohort of four specialized breast healthcare professionals and introduced tiered diagnosis and treatment guidelines tailored to local conditions. Technology integration and local adaption will lead more benefit to local women’s health.

Dr. Deng Yongchun is seeing a patient

The clinic exemplifies the implementation of the China-proposed “Health Silk Road” initiative. The establishment of this clinic is another achievement in implementing the "Health Silk Road" initiative between China and PNG.  The head of PMGH stated: “Over the past two decades, the Chinese medical team has provided healthcare to over 100,000 patients at PMGH. By transferring specialized expertise, this ‘teaching-to-fish’ approach brings us closer to achieving universal health coverage.”

For building a sustainable healthcare model, China Medical Team plans to collaborate with PMGH to establish a breast disease database and develop a telemedicine platform, leveraging high-quality medical resources from Chongqing (China) to ensure ongoing technical support.  

Transitioning from general healthcare to specialized services, the Chinese Medical Team to PNG is innovatively addressing local healthcare needs.  The launch of the breast disease clinic not only ignites hope for women across the Pacific but also underscores the unwavering commitment of China and PNG to safeguarding health—proving that medicine can bridge nations and heal communities.