A MAN ON A RESCUE MISSION AGAINST COVID-19

At the age of 72, Zhang Boli, a medical professional from Tianjin, was saving lives at the forefront of COVID-19 response in Wuhan while being saved by others. 

Doctor Zhang was convinced that the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) could be helpful alongside the Western medicine for coronavirus treatment. He led a team assisting in COVID-19 treatment with TCM in a temporary hospital in Wuhan’s Jiangxia District. 

With the help of his team, all the patients in the hospital gained full recovery. However, after working for 25 consecutive days, he was worn out and his gall bladder began festering. He himself received an emergency operation on the frontline. 

A well-known academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, Zhang Boli is also a TCM professional at Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. He joined the fight against SARS in 2008 by using TCM treatment, which provided much practical experience for dealing with coronavirus.   
Zhang with his team formed a special medical force against the coronavirus that consisted of medical experts from Tianjin and other places. He was among the 1,307 medical workers in 13 rescue teams dispatched by Tianjin to help the COVID-19 treatment in Wuhan. 

The documentary series Tianjin’s Fight against COVID-19, co-produced by China Matters and Tianjin Haihe Media Group, demonstrates the story of how Tianjin responded to the outbreak of the coronavirus. In this episode, the focus is on the tireless work of Zhang and his rescue in Wuhan.