On July 22, China sent its 12th medical team to aid Papua New Guinea (the PNG). Huang Minghui, Secretary of the CPC Committee of Chongqing Health Commission and Director of the Commission, showed up at the seeing-off ceremony and delivered a speech. Zheng Li, a member of the CPC Committee of Chongqing Health Commission and Deputy Director of the Commission, presided at the ceremony. Yang Bin, Head of the Office of International Cooperation of Chongqing Health Commission, Xing Dianguo, Head of the Office of Human Resources, Ren Pengyu, Head of the Office of the Propaganda and United Front of the Chongqing Health Commission, Wei Pengjun, Full-time Deputy Secretary of the Comprehensive CPC Committee of the Social Organizations in the Health Industry of Chongqing, Gao Xiang, Deputy Head of the Office of International Affairs, Chen Jiale, a cadre of the Office of International Economic Cooperation of Chongqing Commerce Commission, and comrades of other related departments also attended the ceremony. All members of the 12th medical team to the PNG and responsible persons of the 7 contributing organizations also appeared at the ceremony.

The 12th medical team to the PNG will, upon arrival, replace the 11th medical team, and perform the national foreign health aid task of 1 year in Moresby General Hospital, which is the one that has the largest scale, highest level of its kind in the PNG, and integrates teaching, scientific research and clinical functions.

Four of the members of the medical team are from Chongqing University Cancer Hospital. They are respectively Chen Gang from the Gastrointestinal Cancer Center, Yang Chang from the Anesthesiology Department, Wang Shiqiang from the Neuro-Oncology Department and Xian Peng from the Urologic Oncology Department.

Huang Minghui expressed his greetings and respect to the medical team members about to embark on a journal of foreign aid. Huang went on to encourage the medical team members to always keep in mind the great trust of the CPC and China, and carry forward the spirit of the foreign aid medical team that can be summarized as "endurance, devotion, ministration and great love". He also encouraged them to make further contributions to the development of the medical and health services of the PNG with their excellent skills and high moral standards. Huang instructed the contributing organizations to provide support for the family of the medical team members, guarantee the remunerations to which they are entitled, relieve them of worries and so that they will be able to go down to work.

At the ceremony, Huang Minghui handed the team flag over to the 12th medical team on behalf of Chongqing Health Commission.

Wu Yongzhong, Secretary of the CPC Committee of Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, delivered a speech on behalf of the contributing organizations. Wu said that Chongqing University Cancer Hospital had always attached great importance to the foreign health aid of China. Since 2004, it has sent 8 team members on a mission in the PNG. As the leading organization in the overall charge of establishment of the 12th medical team to the PNG and the head distributing organization, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital is fully aware of its heavy responsibility and glorious mission. Wu instructed the medical team members to follow political rules, pay attention to the interests of the whole, observe disciplines and comply with the unified leadership and unified management of superior authorities, and to make concerted and practical efforts to fulfill the foreign medical aid tasks of China.

Chen Gang, head of the 12th medical team to the PNG, said during the speech delivered on behalf of the medical team that the team members would never forget its mission and would do its best to live up to the great trust. Chen promised that the team would unite together, make constant progress to promote the health level of the PNG and build up the image of Chinese medical workers as being responsible with their excellent skills and high moral standards. They would also endeavor to provide a vital link, promote the exchange and mutual learning between the two countries in the field of health, and enhance the friendship between people of the two countries.

After the ceremony, Yang Bin, Head of the Office of International Cooperation of Chongqing Health Commission, Wang Ying, Deputy Director of Chongqing University Cancer Hospital and responsible persons of related departments went to the airport to see them off.

After departure of the medical team, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital will, in light of the actual condition of the PNG and work characteristics of the medical team, invite experts in related fields including infectious disease prevention and control, occupational protection, mental health, overseas safety and publicity, to provide specific and practical series training for the medical team on a continuous basis, in an effort to lay a solid foundation for the COVID-19 control and prevention and safety protection of the medical team and enhance their work ability in the foreign aid.

It is reported that Chongqing University Cancer Hospital is the organization in overall charge of the establishment of the 12th medical team to the PNG. A total of 6 medical institutions including the Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing General Hospital and Chongqing Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital provided assistance. In November 2021, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital started to build the medical team. After recommendation by hospitals, qualification review, oral English test, psychological evaluation, physical examination, inspection and testing, and a pre-departure centralized training of 3 months, 10 members, including Chen Gang, were finally selected.