KEVAL BALA MARAM has been busy the whole morning measuring blood pressure, checking the Body Mass Index (BMI) and giving medical suggestions to residents queuing for health checks in Funing Village, Northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. “I major in cardiovascular surgery, so I mainly check if villagers have hypertension or relevant symptoms, and give them advice,” said Maram, a 26-year-old Indian student at Ningxia Medical University. Maram has lost count of the villagers he served, but his patients would certainly remember him. “I was surprised when he spoke Chinese to me, asking about my age, medical history and measuring my blood pressure like Chinese doctors,” said Xiao Qiaoling A total of 18 international medical students from countries including India, Pakistan and Tanzania participated in the volunteer service organized by the university and Yinchuan Stomatological Hospital. “For medical students, experience is important,” said Shan Bin, head of the university’s school of international education, adding that such volunteer work is held every summer and winter holiday. According to Richard Djurist Ngenzi, Maram’s classmate, apart from conducting health care services under the instructions of certified doctors, they also visited hospitals in villages and townships to learn about the development of primary medical and health services in China’s rural areas. “It is good to put what we have learned in classes into practice, and also to see what rural hospitals in China are really like,” said the 29-year-old Tanzanian man. Seventy-year-old villager Ma Cunhu lined up for acupuncture on his right foot, which has been aching for a year. Watching his TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) teacher inserting a needle into the skin, Ngenzi sees an expression of relief on Ma’s face. TCM has gained increasing popularity worldwide in recent years, attracting more international students. Ngenzi is learning acupuncture, massage and cupping, said Guo Bin, a professor with the university’s TCM school. “It’s hard to learn but useful in real life. When my classmates have a backache, I always give them massages,” said Ngenzi. “Western medicine has its limits and TCM serves as a good alternative.” Last year, Ngenzi joined the school’s TCM society. “I want to learn more. I believe what we are doing is meaningful, and I hope there will be more such volunteering opportunities in the future,” said Ngenzi. (Xinhua) | 