The only doctor on a small Chinese island for 34 years

One doctor has stayed on an island with an area of less than one square kilometer for 34 years to look after its nearly 1,000 residents.

Wang Jinping, 57, is the only doctor on Jidiao Island, a small island located in the cross of Fuqing, Changle and Pingtan in southeast China's Fujian Province.

Families in the island's coastal areas rely on the sea for a living. But because of the harsh conditions, including a lack of electricity, few doctors are willing to stay on the island for an extended period. This leads to a lack of medical support and medicines.

Wang was born on the island and went to a medical school in Fuqing County. In 1985, she graduated from the school and returned to her hometown to work as a doctor.

Wang is the only doctor on the island and needs to deal with various illnesses. /CCTV

As the only doctor on the island, Wang needs to deal with various medical issues, from internal medicine and surgery to midwifery.

Thirty-four years of experience have taught her about the health condition of each islander.

Since Wang is the only worker in the clinic, she needs to take care of daily tasks, such as carrying boxes of medicines and vaccines weighing tens or even hundreds of kilograms from the ship to the clinic, as well as care for patients.

Over time, more and more young people have left the island to work in big cities. Most of the people who remain on the island are the elderly or children.

Wang visits one of her elderly patients and does a regular check-up. /CCTV

Wang visits the elderly patients regularly and does check-ups for them to ensure they remain in a stable condition.

Since many residents on the island are illiterate, Wang leaves marks on the medicine bottles to remind her patients to take them according to the dosage.

Wang reminds her patients to take medicines according to the dosage marked on the bottles. /CCTV

Even though she had chances to leave the island and live with her son and daughter in the city, she chose to stay because she worried about the elderly people in the community.

During the Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year, she only spent a few days with her family and soon returned to the island.

"I was worried about the elderly on the island. I was afraid they had some troubles at night and couldn't find a doctor," said Wang.

(Top image: Wang Jinping is the only doctor on Jidiao Island, off the coast of southeast China's Fujian Province. /CCTV)