Chapter 867: [(867)] Unprecedented Grandeur Chapter 867: [(867)] Unprecedented Grandeur There was no food left in the village, so by noon the hospital vehicle had traveled to the nearby town where everyone quickly ate lunch at a small restaurant before continuing their journey to Shier Zhuang.
Shier Zhuang was a large manor with a thousand households residing there, bustling with numerous people. The committee at Shier Zhuang had advertised the free medical camps extensively, not only there but also in nearby villages including Bazhuang where Fan Yunyun was from, and many arrived early to see the doctors.
The volunteer doctors were none other than the well-known experts from Guoxie University.
Villagers had been queuing up at the village committee’s office since the morning to get their consultation queue numbers. Some had even camped out in front of the office from the day before, fearing they might not get a turn.
Tasked with organizing the free medical camp, the committee at Shier Zhuang had set up a large tent in the open space in front of their office the day before. They assembled a long examining table using several desks, covered it with a clean white cloth, and hung a banner with the standard red background and white lettering clearly stating, “Warmly welcome the doctors from Guoxie to Eighteen Manor, grateful for Guoxie doctors bringing warmth to our fellow villagers.”
This act of prominently displaying “Guoxie” in their advertising highlighted the university’s considerable reputation. Otherwise, they might have used the often-repeated slogan about running free medical camps to serve people’s health without emphasizing the doctors’ names, to avoid public disdain.
Although the consultation was free, the villagers knew well whether the doctors were competent or not. Seeing a poor doctor was worse than not seeing one at all. With good hospitals and doctors, appointments were hard to come by, making it crucial to arrive early for a free consultation.
The villagers’ thoughts were fully reflected in their slogans and actions.
Seeing the throng from afar, the doctors in the minivan felt an overwhelming pressure.
“So many people have come.” Kang Mingzhu, who had been napping on the bus as a quick lunchtime sleep, opened her eyes and was startled by the sea of people visible from the window.
“Is this your first time?” Doctor Kim asked her.
“I’ve participated in consultations at the hospital entrance before,” Kang Mingzhu admitted, but this was her first time volunteering in rural areas. “Normally, I can’t even get selected for these. You know how fierce the competition is.”
Everyone wanted to join the free medical camps. The hospital offered generous rewards for participating and it also served as a break from the hectic city life. Smart doctors seized any opportunity to relax under the guise of serving the public.
The significance of the medical camps had been repeatedly discussed by the hospital leadership during meetings. Above all, it was a charitable act to give back to society, to spread health awareness among ordinary citizens, and it was also one of the responsibilities mandated by the Health Department to fulfill yearly targets.
Furthermore, it involved President Wu’s management philosophy for Guoxie.
President Wu didn’t dispatch doctors to conduct free medical camps just anywhere in the city; he wanted them to travel long distances to rural villages.
“Our President Wu is extraordinary,” Doctor Kim remarked, “Perhaps he doesn’t want us to earn our rewards too easily.”
“The President said it’s to improve our skills.” Yao Jie grinned, her mouth hardly closing, though she actually agreed more with Doctor Kim’s interpretation.
President Wu had put it this way: Guoxie’s patients come from all over the country, many from rural areas. Villagers lacking access to quality healthcare turn to Guoxie after exhausting local options for their complex ailments.