Zhang Qingyu and her parents in Qingxi village, Anhui province. [Photo/Xinhua]

The couple signed up to participate in the "Healthy Poverty Alleviation in the village" program in Anhui. At the beginning of July, the family moved near Qingxi village and Xujia Village in Huangjian township to begin their two-year stint as resident doctors.

Huangjian township is located in the mountains at the junction of Xiuning county of Anhui province and Chun'an county of Zhejiang province. The average elevation is 820 meters. The area is sparsely populated and has poor transportation. The two villages did not have enough doctors, and the couple's arrival has filled the gap.

The duo will cater to the medical and public health needs of about 700 permanent residents there. Prior to their arrival, the villagers in Qingxi had to walk 6 kilometers to see a doctor at the Huangjian Township Health Center.