Boston Scientific Partners with Beijing Bethune Charitable Foundation to Enhance Grassroots Medical Capacity

Beijing, May 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to the 2019 theme of "Healthy China Campaign – Health Promotion Supporting Poverty Alleviation," Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX), in partnership with the Beijing Bethune Public Welfare Foundation, jointly launched the "Shangshan Spirit, Boundless Love – Capacity Building Public Welfare Project for Primary Healthcare Institutions" (hereinafter referred to as the "Project"). Scheduled from the eve of World Digestive Health Day (May 29) to Chinese Atrial Fibrillation Day (June 6), the project brought together several clinical experts in cardiology and gastroenterology to visit Dazhou, Guang'an, and Xichang in Sichuan Province. Through initiatives including renowned specialists visiting grassroots communities, surgical mentoring, and free clinics for impoverished patients, the project aims to strengthen the service capabilities of primary healthcare institutions, deliver high-quality medical resources to patients in poverty-stricken areas, support the decisive victory in the fight against poverty, and reduce the incidence of poverty caused or exacerbated by illness.

Prominent experts, including Associate Professor Wang Kaixuan from the Department of Gastroenterology at the First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University (Shanghai Changhai Hospital), Associate Professor Wang Mian from the Department of Cardiology at West China Hospital in Sichuan Province, Associate Professor Chen Yong from the Department of Cardiology at Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, Professor Zhang Li from the Department of Cardiology at West China Hospital in Sichuan Province, and Associate Professor Liu Danqing from the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery at the First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University, actively participated in the initiative. They conducted clinical outreach at Dazhou Central Hospital in the revolutionary base area, West China Guang’an Hospital in Sichuan Province, and Xichang People’s Hospital in Liangshan Prefecture, a region formerly characterized by extreme poverty, thereby helping to enhance the healthcare service capabilities at the grassroots level.。

Renowned Experts Go to the Grassroots -- Free Clinic for Patients, Supporting Medical Poverty Alleviation 

Chronic diseases represent one of the greatest challenges to human health, with cardiovascular disease ranking as the leading cause of death. In China, approximately two out of every five deaths are attributable to cardiovascular disease.^[1]. Meanwhile, the incidence of digestive system diseases accounts for approximately 25% of the total population.^[2]. However, individuals with low income often fail to receive timely treatment due to financial burdens, leading to progressive deterioration of their condition into severe illness or even death.

From World Gut Health Day to China Atrial Fibrillation Day, the project will sequentially provide free clinical consultations and disease management prescriptions for cardiovascular and gastrointestinal conditions to residents in Guang’an and Xichang, with a particular focus on impoverished patients, aiming to break the vicious cycle of poverty caused or exacerbated by illness.

Expert-Led Teaching and Training to Enhance the Accessibility of Primary Healthcare Services

Addressing the critical gaps in primary healthcare service capacity, the project focuses on strengthening discipline construction in gastroenterology and cardiology at primary medical institutions. It invites renowned experts to provide professional training for grassroots healthcare personnel through intraoperative mentoring and bidirectional exchanges.

At Dazhou Central Hospital, Huaxi Guang’an Hospital, and Xichang People’s Hospital, clinical experts in gastroenterology provided primary care physicians with educational programs on the early diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal tumors, as well as professional training including hands-on instruction in endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), along with discussions of special cases. In the field of cardiology, clinical experts delivered health education on cardiovascular diseases at all three sites, conducted training on complex percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures, and shared insights from special cases.

“Boston Scientific is a global leader in interventional cardiology and the treatment of digestive diseases. Upholding our commitment to ‘Innovating for Life,’ we are dedicated to leveraging our expertise to help healthcare professionals master cutting-edge medical technologies, thereby extending care to more patients,” said Ms. Zhang Jun, Vice President of Boston Scientific and General Manager of Greater China. “In China, we will continue to actively respond to government initiatives by promoting the decentralization of high-quality medical resources, enhancing the service capabilities of primary healthcare institutions, and contributing to the realization of the Healthy China Dream.”

In November 2018, the “Public Welfare Project for Capacity Building in Primary Healthcare Institutions” was officially launched in Panzhihua, Sichuan Province. In 2019, the project will be successively rolled out in multiple regions, including Jiangsu and Guizhou Provinces.

Fan Yanrong, Executive Secretary-General of the Beijing Bethune Public Welfare Foundation, stated at the event, “The implementation of this charitable project has demonstrated how public welfare initiatives—guided and supported by local governments, underpinned by medical institutions, and bolstered by charitable funds and corporate assistance—embody the spirit of ‘advocating goodness and boundless love.’ This ensures that Dr. Norman Bethune’s spirit of universal love will never fade. We are confident that, with the joint participation of all sectors of society, we will surely win the battle against poverty.”

[1] "Report on Cardiovascular Diseases in China 2018"

[2] China Health and Family Planning Statistical Yearbook 2018

About Boston Scientific

Boston Scientific Corporation is committed to innovating for life. We are dedicated to developing innovative medical solutions that improve the lives of patients worldwide. For more than three decades, Boston Scientific has been a leader in the global medical technology industry, offering a broad portfolio of high-performance medical solutions to address the urgent therapeutic needs of patients and reduce healthcare costs. For more information, please visit the company’s website:www.bostonscientific.cn

About Boston Scientific in Greater China

Boston Scientific established its China headquarters in Shanghai in 1997. Currently, it has branches and R&D centers in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. The company’s core business areas include interventional cardiology, structural heart disease, cardiac rhythm management and electrophysiology, endoscopic interventions, peripheral and oncology interventions, urology and pelvic health, and respiratory products. Upholding its tradition as an innovation leader, Boston Scientific is committed to becoming a... by providing high-quality medical products and services for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.PossessesInnovative Vitality,Close toAn international medical technology company addressing the needs of doctors and patients in China. For more details, please visit the company website:www.bostonscientific.cn