As doctor gains trust, her practice grows

When Zhong Jing, 35, moved to Longhe nine years ago, there was no clinic and no road. Sick villagers had to get up at 5 am and walk more than four hours to see a doctor. That's the only way they could return while the sun was still up.

Since she arrived, Zhong has been running the only clinic in the village, in Guizhou province's Qianxi'nan Bouyei and Miao autonomous prefecture. She sees more than 100 patients on a busy day, some coming from neighboring communities. On those days, eating just one meal is commonplace.

"Even though a road has been built now and transportation is more convenient, traveling outside the village for treatment has become the last choice, because residents now have doctors they know personally who will take care of them on their doorstep," said Zhong, a delegate to the ongoing 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.