'Healthy Silk Road' benefits people's lives

An emergency cesarean operation put the Chinese medical team in a tricky place in the night of December 4, 2016. The Chinese medical workers are stationed in Madagascar, one of the poorest countries in Africa.

In the face of water stoppages, power outages, and no anesthesia, the medical team quickly developed a surgical plan. They successfully completed the operation with superb technology. Two male babies were safely delivered and the mother also turned out to be safe.

Building China's medical help brand

For more than half a century, China has dispatched medical teams to the countries along the “Belt and Road” to implement cataract surgery and carry out maternal and child health projects. A total of 25,000 medical team members were dispatched, and 280 million patients were treated to help promote health development in various countries.

In 2015, the National Health and Family Planning Commission issued a three-year implementation plan for the promotion of the “One Belt, One Road” health exchanges and cooperation (2015-2017), which is the direction of the “Healthy Silk Road”. The Chinese government and the World Health Organization signed a memorandum on health cooperation on January 18, 2017, which is a milestone in the cooperation between the two sides to improve the health undertakings.

The “Healthy Silk Road” is based on multiple or bilateral relations. The strategic layout of health cooperation between the six economic corridors countries and the fulcrum countries along the line has taken shape. The government-led, up-and-down department linkage and multi-participation cooperation mechanism has been continuously improved. The demonstration effect was exerted, and the sense of gain for the pople along the route was significantly enhanced.

China has currently sent foreign aid medical teams to 51 countries and regions. They have been given a common name "Chinese angels wearing white coats" for praising their superb medical technology.

Showing the responsibilities of great power

In 2014, after the outbreak of Ebola hemorrhagic fever in West Africa, the Chinese government organized the largest foreign aid operation in the health field. “China has taken the lead in providing extremely critical material assistance, and has sent a number of medical and health rescue teams to help these countries in preventing and controlling epidemics.” said Feng Zijian, deputy director of the China CDC.

After the 2015 Nepal earthquake, the Chinese government responded quickly and launched an emergency rescue operation. Within 12 hours, the Chinese government medical team and the Chinese government epidemic prevention team were formed, and they arrived at the rescue site within 48 hours after the earthquake. 

In May 2016, the National Emergency Medical Rescue Team (Shanghai) passed the World Health Organization certification and became one of the first international emergency medical teams in the world.

The relevant person in charge of the International Rescue Team of Shanghai Oriental Hospital said, "We are committed to building an all-weather, full-featured, globalized international disaster response team, waiting for national instructions, going to the international and domestic disaster relief site to show the glorious and responsible image of the Chinese government.”

In the face of public health emergencies, China's emergency response capacity has been continuously improved, and the accumulated experience models and emergency team building have been recognized by the international team.

Deepening cooperation based on health management

In November 2016, the 9th Global Health Promotion Conference, co-sponsored by the National Health and Family Planning Commission and the World Health Organization, was held in Shanghai.

China's experience has become the benchmark for global health governance. At the same time, China integrates closely with the "Healthy China 2030" Planning Outline, which drives social organizations, think tanks and enterprises to actively participate in the "One Belt, One Road" health cooperation, enhance cooperation capabilities, and form a national related work mechanism.

In recent years, China has deepened health cooperation and exchanges with the countries along the “Belt and Road”. A number of projects with great impact, wide benefits and good results have been set up, and 41 major projects have been implemented. 

China has cooperated with the Greater Mekong Sub-region countries to carry out joint prevention and control on infectious diseases and has carried out health emergency cooperation with the World Health Organization, ASEAN countries, Russia and Israel.

A number of overseas Chinese medical centers have been established, which has enhanced the sense of acquisition of countries along the route. 

The support and promotion of health cooperation on the implementation of the “Belt and Road” initiative has become increasingly apparent.