Village doctor devotes service to villages in south China's Guangxi

Zhao Jianbai, a native to Ren'ai Village along the border between China and Vietnam, has been serving as a village doctor since he accomplished his professional training and returned to his hometown in 1998.

Ren'ai, remotely located in mountainous areas, used to be inaccessible to motor vehicles and scarce with medical resources. When ill, villagers usually relied on themselves to heal, and they sought medical treatment on foot from hospitals far away in urban areas only if their diseases went beyond their natural healing capacity.

Having seen so many people close to him suffering from health problems, Zhao made up his mind to devote his service to the villages. He always responds to calls for help, near or far, rain or shine, and often works for more than eight hours a day. "These people really need me," said Zhao, "and it's also my duty and honor to be a guardian to their health."