What specific methods have been used in the detection of novel coronavirus? How is the treatment of confirmed COVID-19 patients carried out at their homes? What are the supervision measures during the treatment? On the evening of May 20, experts from several departments of the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University who have the experience of fighting COVID-19 on the frontline shared “Chinese experience” in epidemic prevention and control with their counterparts in Ukraine.
Chinese and Ukrainian experts cooperate to fight COVID-19
This video conference was organized by the Chinese Embassy in Ukraine at the request of the Ukrainian counterparts in the wake of the first successful video conference held in mid-April. Teams from the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University who had contributed to the fight against the epidemic were invited to share their experience and discuss with the Ukrainian counterparts about the prevention and infection control of COVID-19.
Professor Qian Yangming, secretary-general of China National Health Association and president of the “Peace Ark” navy hospital ship, attended the conference. The Chinese expert team included Professor Chai Xiangping, vice president of the Second Xiangya Hospital, Professor Luo Hong, director of the Department of Respiratory and Critical Medicine and director of the Subspecialty of Respiratory and Critical Medicine, director Tao Cheng of the Department of Medical Affairs, and experts from relevant clinical departments. Maksym Volodymyrovych Stepanov, Minister of Healthcare of Ukraine, representatives of Dnipropetrovsk government and parliament, and teams of epidemiological and medical experts from several medical institutions and medical schools participated in the online conference.
Join hands to fight the epidemic by sharing Xiangya experience
Ukraine is having a difficult time as COVID-19 rages. By May 18, there were 18,291 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Ukraine, an increase of over 400 cases from the previous day. The fight against the epidemic was tough.
Before the conference, Ukrainian participants made a speech in which they said that “measures should be taken to stop the transmission of COVID-19 and promote treatment in the context of its spread in the Dnipropetrovsk region”. At the conference, Professor Qian Yangming gave an opening speech on behalf of the Association. Professor Chai Xiangping, vice president of the Second Xiangya Hospital, introduced the Xiangya team and the anti-epidemic situation, and said that the virus has no nationality and the team from the Second Xiangya Hospital is willing to share their rich experience in fighting the epidemic and discuss with the Ukrainian counterparts. Oleksandr Bondarenko, Governor of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast of Ukraine, also expressed his heartfelt gratitude to China for supporting Ukraine in the difficult fight against the epidemic.
Later, Maksym Volodymyrovych Stepanov, Minister of Healthcare of Ukraine, talked about the current situation of epidemic prevention and control in Ukraine and some problems in detail. Based on what the Minister had said, Professor Luo Hong gave an overview of China’s plan of fighting COVID-19. Professor Wu Chenfang, deputy director of the Department of Critical Medicine, presented a detailed report on some typical COVID-19 cases. Professor Hu Min, director of the Department of Laboratory Medicine and director of Hunan Provincial Clinical Molecular Diagnostics Center, also shared her experience in the laboratory tests of COVID-19.
Medical cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative reveals the profound friendship between China and Ukraine.During the Q&A session, Ukrainian medical experts asked several questions about a series of new problems and situations in epidemic prevention and control, such as “the proper way of using hormone therapy - steroids”, “effective rehabilitation methods”, “the criteria for discharging patients” and “laboratory indicators in diagnosis and treatment”, which were answered and explained by experts from the Second Xiangya Hospital in detail.
At the end of the conference, Sviatoslav Vasilevich Oleinik, chairman of the oblast parliament of Ukraine, presided over an award ceremony named “Belt and Road - Doctor’s Joint Efforts in Fighting COVID-19” to express the Ukrainian counterparts’ gratitude to the Chinese medical team, saying that “we would like to thank the medical experts from the Second Xiangya Hospital for your sharing. The ‘Chinese experience’ is extremely helpful for the prevention and control of COVID-19 in Ukraine. We hope to have further exchange and cooperation in the future.” Vice president Chai Xiangping also noted in his concluding speech that “the issues faced by Ukraine are specific, and more attention should be paid to them in the treatment process. I hope our experience is beneficial to the Ukrainian counterparts and can help them control the epidemic as soon as possible.”
The video conference was another great attempt between China and Ukraine to fight COVID-19 together under the “Belt and Road” initiative, and was highly praised by medical experts in Ukraine. In the near future, the initiative “Belt & Road, Global Prevention and Control of COVID-19” will continue to connect Chinese medical teams that have done a great job of treating severe cases and controlling infection on the frontline with medical teams overseas via video conferences to share their anti-epidemic experience with all the allied countries along the Belt and Road and medical institutions worldwide.
