China pledges hassle-free healthcare for Bangladeshi patients in Yunnan

A 23-member delegation of Bangladeshi journalists has wrapped up a three-day visit to Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province, China, looking forward to strengthening bilateral cooperation in the healthcare sector.

Yesterday (8 August), the delegation visited Kunming Tongren Hospital and Kunming Eye Hospital among the places, witnessing advanced treatment facilities and observing high standards of patient care, said a message.

At Kunming Tongren Hospital, the journalists were introduced to its comprehensive capabilities as a Level 3, multi-speciality private general hospital that offered a broad spectrum of services, including clinical treatment, prevention, rehabilitation, health management, medical education, and international academic exchanges.

In an hour-long presentation, the hospital authorities explained how they received some of the Bangladeshi patients suffering from critical diseases and intellectual disabilities.

The hospital authorities took the media delegation to their International Spinal Cord Injury Centre, which delivers cutting-edge surgical interventions in both acute and chronic spinal cord injuries and intensive rehabilitation programs, backed by ongoing neuroregenerative research.

Shen Ling, vice president of Kunming Tongren Hospital, said, "We have developed excellent treatment facilities in our hospital and added modern technologies.

Ling led the hospital's core team to accompany the delegation throughout the visit and gave a detailed introduction to the hospital's distinctive advantages in medical technology, humanistic care, and cross-border cooperation.

She said that the hospital has not only gathered more than 100 medical experts but also established 37 clinical departments, including Cardiology, Nephrology and Endocrinology, Respiratory Medicine, Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Centre, Oncology, Neurosurgery, General Surgery, Orthopaedics, Urology, Gynaecology, and an exclusive Health Management Centre.

She said that the hospital is also equipped with internationally advanced medical imaging, ultrasound diagnosis, and laboratory equipment, providing strong technical support for accurate diagnosis and treatment.

"For international patients, the hospital has established an efficient and rigorous diagnosis and treatment process, providing standardised medical services throughout. With a mature multidisciplinary team (MDT) mechanism, it ensures medical quality and safety. These comprehensive strengths have laid a solid foundation for receiving international patients, including those from Bangladesh," she said.

She said that the International Medical Department of Kunming Tongren Hospital has successfully provided high-quality medical services to patients from many countries, accumulating successful treatment experience in the minimally invasive treatment of complex congenital heart diseases, complex orthopaedic surgeries, and internal medicine refractory diseases.

Looking to the future, Ling said Kunming Tongren Hospital is accelerating the construction of the second-phase project, developing a new International Medical Outpatient, Inpatient, and Oncology Treatment Centre, which will be able to provide more high-quality and satisfactory medical and health services for international patients.

The media delegation also visited Kunming Eye Hospital, where they observed specialised ophthalmic treatment technologies such as laser surgery and advanced diagnostic imaging, and comprehensive patient care in eye health.

Hospital authorities assured that they are actively working to simplify procedures for Bangladeshi patients seeking treatment, including streamlining communication, admission processes, and international patient support services.

The visit, led by Abul Kalam Azad Majumder, deputy press secretary to the Chief Adviser of Bangladesh, was arranged at the invitation of the Government of China.

It provided firsthand insights into China's healthcare infrastructure and opened avenues for enhanced medical collaboration between the two nations.

Zhang Min, CEO of Kunming Eye Hospital, told journalists that though they are a private hospital, the experience of treatment in our hospital is similar to that in public hospitals.

"Every year we receive hundreds of patients from foreign countries, including India and Russia. We are also open to treating Bangladeshi eye patients at an affordable cost," she said.

With 28 years of experience, Zhang said the hospital employs highly skilled doctors and medical staff, supported by state-of-the-art equipment.

"Our doctors are experienced in treating foreign patients and can speak English fluently. So, Bangladeshi patients don't need to worry about the language barrier," she said.

She invited Bangladeshi patients to contact the hospital by email with details about their eye conditions. "We'll provide feedback," she assured.

The Bangladeshi journalists also visited Walvax Biotechnology Co Ltd, one of China's leading vaccine manufacturers.

The company is renowned for producing and supplying safe, effective, and high-quality vaccines aimed at protecting people from life-threatening diseases.

Walvax has developed a range of vaccines for both domestic and international markets, contributing significantly to global immunisation efforts.

The Chinese government invited the 23-member media delegation to visit Kunming as part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Bangladesh.

The Bangladeshi journalists started the final of their tour visiting Anti-Japanese War Memorial Hall and later in the evening, the delegation visited Yunnan Ethnic Village.

Chief Adviser's Press Wing, Bangladesh Consulate in Kunming, organised a press conference at a hotel to wrap up the tour.

DPS Abul Kalam Azad Majumder and Consul General Mohammad Khaled briefed the visiting journalists about the initiatives of the Bangladesh side to make the treatment process easier for Bangladeshis in China.

Earlier on 7 August, the Bangladeshi journalists visited the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University and talked with provincial health officials and heads of local public hospitals.

They also visited the Kunming International Flower Market on the day.