Using a ropeway to cross the Nujiang River while carrying a medical chest on his shoulders was once a part of the daily routine for Deng Qiandui, a rural doctor in Lamadi village, Fugong county, Lisu Autonomous Prefecture of Nujiang, southwest China's Yunnan Province. Now that a bridge has been built to replace the ropeway and paved roads are in every village in the county, Deng finds it much easier to do his work.
Lamadi village is situated deep in the mountains and is sparsely populated. There are six villagers' groups in the village located on both banks of the Nujiang River.
More than 30 years ago, when Deng became a rural doctor, the only means for local villagers to cross the river was a ropeway connecting the two banks of the river. To help people living on the opposite side of the river, who often found it difficult to get medical treatment, Deng decided to learn to use the ropeway so that he could get to the other side to provide medical services for villagers.
"When I just started to learn to use the ropeway, I was very nervous. Crossing the river on the ropeway was dangerous, especially at night," Deng recalled, adding that he would slow down when he got close to his destination by using grass to increase the friction between his hand and the ropeway handles.
Many people had tried to convince Deng to quit his job as a rural doctor, but he refused to do so. Over the past several decades, the man has always been just a phone call away, travelling between the two banks of the Nujiang River via the ropeway day and night, and regardless of the weather.
In the government work report released during the annual sessions of China's top legislative and advisory bodies in 2015, the Chinese government said that it would build bridges to replace all ropeways in the western region.
In the same year, a bridge was built in Lamadi village and a paved road was also completed in the village. In September 2019, Deng bought a car to make his work easier. "In the past, it took me about four to five hours to get to the farthest village. Now, I can get there in just 30 minutes driving my car," said Deng.
In November 2020, all 57 poverty-stricken villages in Fugong county were lifted out of poverty. To prevent local villagers from falling into poverty again as a result of disease, Fugong county has ramped up assistance to rural residents who suffer from serious diseases or chronic illnesses by promoting contracted family doctor services in all villages under its administration. Deng is one of those contracted doctors.
Deng said that today, there are four rural doctors in his village, allowing local villagers to receive medical services without having to leave the village.