In the remote mountains of Yunnan province, 24-year-old Zhong Liping is redefining what it means to be a village doctor. Part of China’s Generation Z, Zhong returned to her hometown of Yanyin Village after medical school, trading city opportunities for a mission: providing healthcare to over 1,800 elderly residents, many from the Lahu, Hani, and Dai ethnic groups.
‘I grew up here, so I understand their needs,’ Zhong says, explaining how she bridges language gaps by communicating in local dialects instead of Mandarin. Her role extends beyond clinic duties, with weekly house calls to immobile patients and health workshops teaching preventive care. ‘They see me as family,’ she adds, describing bonds strengthened by cultural understanding.
Her work highlights a broader challenge: China’s rural healthcare gap. While urban centers advance with AI diagnostics, villages like Yanyin rely on dedicated individuals like Zhong to ensure aging populations aren’t left behind. Social media-savvy and fluent in both tradition and modernity, she represents a new wave of young professionals revitalizing grassroots systems.
Reference(s):
Pastures New: On the frontier of healthcare in the countryside
cgtn.com
