From February 27 to March 1, Mr. Jose Miguel Mejia Abreu, Secretary General of the United Left Movement Party and Minister for Regional Integration Policies of the Dominican Republic, and Mr. Briunny Garabito Segura, Ambassador of the Dominican Republic to China, visited Xiangya Hospital of Central South University. They were warmly received by the officials from Hunan Province and Xiangya Hospital, including Yang Qi, Deputy Director-General of the Office of Foreign Affairs Commission of CPC Hunan Provincial Committee (OFACHN); Tao Xueyong, Deputy Director-General of the Hunan Provincial Health Commission (HNHC); Zhang Xin, Chair of the Board, and Lei Guanghua, President of Xiangya Hospital; etc. The two sides exchanged views on topics including medical services, personnel and technical exchanges and scientific research cooperation, etc. Preliminary intentions have been reached to further promote cooperation in jointly pursuing the "Belt and Road Initiative" and building a community of common health for mankind.
This year marks the 5thanniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the Dominican Republic; Hunan is the first province in China to build up friendly ties with the Republic and has rolled out in-depth exchanges and cooperation in many fields. In March 2020, a video conference on COVID-19 prevention and control was held between Hunan Province and the Republic, to which an expert from Xiangya Hospital were invited, marking the beginning of the two sides cooperation in medicine and healthcare. In June 2022, under the coordination of the OFACHN and HNHC, a video consultation for Minister Miguel Mejia was conducted, during which two experts from Xiangya Hospital proposed a very effective treatment plan.
On February 27, 2023, at the request of Minister Mejia himself and under the overall arrangement of the OFACHN and the HNHC, Xiangya Hospital customized a health examination plan for him. Experts from various specialties including Neurology, Respiratory, Cardiology, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Oncology, General Surgery, Orthopedics, Radiology, Pain Management, Hematology and Integration of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, etc. participated in the medical examination and consultation.
On the evening of February 28, a feedback meeting was held at Xiangya Hospital. Accompanied by representatives from the International Department, Central Committee of CPC, the OFACHN and the HNHC, Vice President Wu Wei, professors of relevant specialties and members from the Office for Health Care of Senior Officials and the Office for International Cooperation and Exchanges (OICE) of Xiangya Hospital attended the meeting, during which experts interpreted the medical examination report in detail and provided suggestions on follow-up medications and individual healthcare.
While expressing his great satisfaction with the Hospital’s professionalism and superior service quality provided during the earlier video consultation and the comprehensive health examination this time, Minister Mejia said he would coordinate relevant institutions at the Dominican side to build up relationship and carry out regular exchanges with Xiangya Hospital. Deputy Director-General Yang Qi and Division Chief Tan Junke, on behalf of the OFACHN and the HNHC, respectively, expressed their thanks to Xiangya Hospital for its contribution to enhancing the ties between China and the Dominican Republic.
On March 1, Mr. Briunny Garabito Segura, the Dominican Ambassador to China, visited Xiangya Hospital for talks on the details of medical exchanges and cooperation. He was accompanied by Mr. Liao Zhiyang, Division Chief for American and OceanianAffairs of OFACHN. Also present at the meeting were Chair of the Board Zhang Xin, Vice President Wu Wei, and OICE Director Li Xuejun of Xiangya Hospital.
Chair Zhang Xin briefly introduced Xiangya Hospital’s history, current development and international features. He also expressed the hope to carry out exchanges and cooperation with the Dominican side in the medical fields, including but not limited to medical services, personnel and academic/technical exchanges and cooperation in scientific research, and to contribute to promoting the friendship between the two nations.
Ambassador Briunny Garabito Segura congratulated the Hospital on its remarkable achievements made in the past century, especially in recent years. He said that, after the pandemic, both governments are paying more attention to their people's health. In cooperation with a number of institutions in the United States and Europe, the overall level of the Republic’s medical sector is pretty good. Looking forward, the two sides may carry out cooperation based on the Dominican Republic’s "City of Health" project. He would also coordinate top universities in the Dominican Republic to discuss cooperation in detail with Xiangya Hospital by holding video conferences.
Division Chief Liao Zhiyang regards Xiangya Hospital as an outstanding model in the medical sector in Hunan Province and even in China. He praised highly its fruitful results achieved in international exchanges and cooperation in recent years. Over the five years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two nations, the Dominican Republic and Hunan Province have become trustworthy friends. He believed that the friendship between the two sides will be continuously strengthened in the coming years. The OFACHN will spare no efforts in rendering support and services to Xiangya Hospital in its endeavors to go global by giving further push to the cooperation intentions reached by the two sides.
