Margaret Chan (center), the World Health Organization's director-general, watches mock surgery in a field hospital set up by the China International Emergency Medical Team in Shanghai yesterday on the sidelines of the Global Conference on Health Promotion. The team has been certified by the WHO to help people around the world affected by disasters and disease.(Wang Rongjiang)
China's important role in international medical rescue efforts was recognized when World Health Organization officials visited the China International Emergency Medical Team in Shanghai yesterday.
The officials are in the city for the ongoing 9th Global Conference on Health Promotion.
The team set up by Shanghai East Hospital was granted certification from WHO in May with another two teams from Russia as the first qualified to provide help for people around the world affected by natural disasters and disease.
The team displayed a field hospital consisting of a dozen large tents for the officials' visit. A vital facility during any disaster, the tent hospital is the base for medical staff to carry out first aid.
"Our operation room in the field hospital has adopted the strictest disinfection and air purifying systems, allowing doctors to do complicated brain and heart surgeries," said Dr Liu Zhongmin, president of Shanghai East Hospital and head of the emergency medical team.
Margaret Chan, the WHO's director-general, said she was impressed by the team's facilities and professionalism. She said it could be proud of becoming one of the first to receive WHO certification.
Chan encouraged the team to not only improve its capabilities but also help teams in other provinces and countries to meet WHO standards by sharing its experiences. "We found too many emergency teams running to offer help during disasters, but they have no professional equipment and no trained staff," she said. "China is a big country which should take responsibility in international issues. It can use the WHO as a bridge to give aid when disaster happens."
The Shanghai government has been supporting the team since it was set up in 2010, with an investment of nearly 90 million yuan (US$13 million) so far for equipment and staff training.
Chan also visited the museum at the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine yesterday.
"Traditional Chinese medicine is a precious treasure of Chinese culture and should be carried forward," she wrote in its comments book.
Chan, who has a PhD in Western medicine, promoted traditional Chinese medicine when she was director of health in Hong Kong from 1994 to 2003, making it an important part of the city's public health system.
"I do appreciate the strong support I got at that time from the traditional Chinese medicine society in the Chinese mainland," she said. "I hope the Chinese mainland can promote the combination of Chinese medicine and Western medicine to serve the public health like we have been doing in Hong Kong. I also wish the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong can join hands to give greater scope to traditional Chinese medicine."
