China's Innovative Cardiac Technology Builds a 'Bridge of Hearts' for Global Health
“The event embodied the international humanitarian spirit of saving lives and healing the wounded with boundless love, allowing ordinary Pakistani citizens to feel the warmth of the ironclad friendship between China and Pakistan, and it sparked enthusiastic responses within Pakistan.” On February 25, this letter of commendation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs brought Pan Xiangbin, Vice President of Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, back to his thoughts from a month ago.
From January 22 to 23, Pan Xiangbin led the expert team of the aid-to-Pakistan congenital heart disease treatment program on a mission to the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases in Rawalpindi, Punjab Province, Pakistan, where they performed free surgeries for local children with congenital heart disease.
Anaya, an 8-year-old patient from Islamabad, was diagnosed with congenital heart disease at the age of one. Due to the complexity of her condition and the high cost of surgery, Anaya had long remained untreated. “Chinese doctors are like angels; their smiles are so warm,” said Anaya, blinking her bright, expressive eyes as she faced the Chinese medical team at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases.
“Chinese doctors traveled thousands of miles to be here, bringing warmth and care right to our side, enabling me to grow up healthily just like other children.” After surgery, 17-year-old Milaika, a patient with congenital heart disease, shared her wish from the hospital ward: “When I grow up, I also want to become a doctor and study advanced medical techniques in China.”
During their two-day stay in Pakistan, the expert team performed free surgeries on eight children with congenital heart disease. Lu Jiang, Assistant to the President of Yunnan Fuwai Cardiovascular Hospital and a member of the expert team, reported that the pediatric patients are recovering well postoperatively and will soon return to normal life.
The rapid recovery of pediatric patients is attributed to China’s original radiation-free percutaneous interventional technology. Developed by Pan Xiangbin’s team, this innovative technique eliminates the need for open surgery, enabling precise treatment of cardiovascular diseases through ultrasound-guided medical devices. It avoids iatrogenic injuries associated with radiation and contrast agents, and even allows for cardiac interventions while patients remain conscious.
“No thoracotomy was needed; the procedure was completed in just half an hour, utilizing a Chinese original product—the bioresorbable occluder.” After listening to the explanation, Mileka spoke highly of the exquisite medical skills of the Chinese doctors: “The surgery will leave no trace on my body. As long as I don’t mention it, no one will ever know that I underwent the procedure in the future.”
“China’s original technology has completely upended the traditional model of radiation-guided surgery—transforming cardiac procedures, once major operations requiring treatment at large hospitals in major cities, into outpatient procedures, or even home-based interventions. This brings hope to patients in countries and regions with scarce medical resources,” said Pan Xiangbin.
It is reported that in December 2023, radiation-free percutaneous interventional technology was selected as a promotional project under the United Nations Global Sustainable Development Program, receiving financial support and backing from the UN diplomatic system.
As Chinese doctors performed the surgery, Khurram Akhtar, Director of the Department of Cardiology at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases in Pakistan, kept his eyes fixed on the operating table. He stated that this new technology does not require expensive medical equipment, significantly reducing both surgical costs and operational complexity, making it widely applicable to regions in Pakistan with limited healthcare resources.
To enhance technical accessibility, the expert team conducted multiple training sessions after the surgeries. “Upon learning that Chinese doctors were providing on-site instruction, many colleagues from other hospitals rushed to the venue to wait, with some even traveling all the way from Karachi,” said Khurram Akhtar. He noted that on January 23 alone, the expert team trained more than 200 local medical personnel.
Imparting both “fish” and “fishing skills,” thereby leaving behind a “medical team that cannot be taken away,” represents the unique wisdom of China’s foreign medical aid. In recent years, Fuwai Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences has promoted the global dissemination, exchange, and application of original medical technologies—such as radiation-free percutaneous interventional techniques—through initiatives like “inviting in” and “going out,” thereby contributing to the building of a global community of health for all.
Centered on the “Invite In” strategy, Fuwai Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences has extensively conducted specialized training programs, attracting over 1,000 medical professionals from more than 30 countries to China to learn original Chinese medical technologies. Focusing on the “Go Global” initiative, and benefiting from United Nations project promotions, the R&D team has been invited to perform live surgical demonstrations in more than 30 countries and regions, including France, Germany, Italy, Russia, and Canada. Currently, radiation-free percutaneous interventional technology has been promoted in over 60 countries, and 12 of the more than 20 products developed based on this technology have been launched in the European market.
"In Pan Xiangbin's view, this not only addresses the issue of technology accessibility in developing countries but also resolves medical quality problems caused by iatrogenic injuries in developed countries, thus achieving widespread application worldwide."
“Upon returning to my home country, I plan to assemble a professional team to implement radiation-free percutaneous interventional techniques, while also training young physicians to advance the clinical application of these technologies. Additionally, I intend to reach grassroots communities to conduct cardiovascular disease screening, early diagnosis, and interventional treatment, thereby extending the benefits of cutting-edge technologies to a broader population.” Dr. Zafar Abdullaev from Uzbekistan has been pursuing advanced studies at Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, for over a year. He has now mastered ultrasound-guided minimally invasive interventional techniques for congenital heart diseases, including atrial septal defect, ventricular septal defect, and patent ductus arteriosus, as well as interventional therapies for valvular heart diseases.
Zafar Abdullayev said, “Now I know how to use these Chinese devices and instruments. I firmly believe that this will bring great benefits to the people of Uzbekistan.”
The Pakistan Aid Project for the Treatment of Congenital Heart Disease was implemented under the overall guidance of the National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases and Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, with execution carried out by Yunnan Fuwai Cardiovascular Hospital (one of the first batch of national regional medical center construction units). On February 6, 2025, the Pakistani side highly commended the Chinese initiative for treating pediatric congenital heart disease in Pakistan in the Joint Statement of the People's Republic of China and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
“From the perspective of project outcomes, Yunnan Fuwai Cardiovascular Hospital has demonstrated the effectiveness of China’s regional medical center initiative—serving not only Southwest China but also possessing the capability to compete with healthcare systems in Europe and the United States, while extending its influence to neighboring countries. This validates the forward-looking, systematic, and scientific nature of the national decision to establish regional medical centers,” stated Pan Xiangbin.
Lu Jiang unveiled the “report card”: As of December 2024, Yunnan Fuwai Cardiovascular Hospital had provided free congenital heart disease screening to more than 6.94 million children in Southwest China and other regions; through diverse fundraising efforts for charitable donations, the hospital offered free treatment to 7,414 disadvantaged pediatric patients and 458 disadvantaged adult patients with congenital heart disease.
To further leverage the radiating and driving role of National Regional Medical Centers, Yunnan Fuwai Cardiovascular Hospital has actively integrated into the joint construction of the “Belt and Road Initiative,” launching the “Love Journey” campaign in South Asian, Southeast Asian, Central Asian, and East African countries, including Cambodia, Bangladesh, and Tanzania. Through this initiative, the hospital screened over 93,000 children and provided treatment to 144 pediatric patients with congenital heart disease.
“2025 will focus on precisely targeting key areas such as advancing the capacity building of National Regional Medical Centers, expanding the reach of technology promotion, fostering synergistic development between technologies and products, conducting in-depth medical technical assistance, and deepening exchanges and mutual learning among Chinese and foreign medical professionals. By sustaining these efforts over time, we will lay a solid foundation for expanding international medical cooperation,” stated Pan Xiangbin.
Chinese Doctors Stand Tall
At around 4:00 p.m. on February 27, 2025, when our reporter met with Pan Xiangbin, he had just stepped away from a training session for international participants. When the topic turned to China’s original and disruptive medical technologies, he immediately opened up.
“Technology is not built on hype, but on what truly empowers Chinese doctors to stand tall.” In Pan Xiangbin’s view, through the aid project for congenital heart disease treatment in Pakistan, Chinese doctors have taken cutting-edge medical technologies and products independently developed by China onto the global stage. Moreover, this technology surpasses the medical standards of developed countries in Europe and America, not only breaking through domestic technical bottlenecks but also helping other countries resolve critical technological chokepoints.
“In the early years, when we visited many renowned institutions abroad, local doctors would constantly say ‘No touch’ upon seeing Chinese doctors, meaning ‘Don’t touch their patients’ and ‘Don’t handle their equipment,’” Pan Xiangbin admitted. Today, however, attitudes toward Chinese doctors have changed significantly among peers in both developing and developed countries. Foreign colleagues who have observed radiation-free percutaneous interventional procedures are eager to learn these techniques.
As hundreds of international trainees attended lectures and sought solutions in training programs across China, as Pan Xiangbin recounted to reporters leading teams to dozens of countries to demonstrate China’s original technologies promoted by the United Nations, and as foreign medical professionals were surprised to learn that their medical idols had studied under Chinese physicians... the frustration and sense of inequity once brought by the “No Touch” era have long since transformed into a profound sense of pride and accomplishment for Chinese doctors.
The successful implementation of the aid project for congenital heart disease treatment in Pakistan is a microcosm of China’s innovative development in medical technology and its commitment to enhancing the health and well-being of people worldwide. As batches of medical experts travel abroad and original technologies are widely promoted, Chinese doctors will make new and greater contributions to building a global community of health for all.