From May 6 to 10, Zhang Xufeng, Vice President of the First Affiliated Hospital (FAH) of Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), led a six-member delegation of heads from the departments of Medical Oncology, Orthopaedics, Cardiology, Cardiovascular Surgery, and the International Exchange and Cooperation Center on a visit to Bangladesh. The delegation visited nine local government agencies, medical colleges and universities, and healthcare institutions, holding in-depth discussions on medical service operations, specialized technologies, talent training, scientific research collaboration, and the establishment of joint specialty centers. Multiple cooperation consensuses were reached.
The delegation first visited the Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh and held talks with officials from its Cultural Section, receiving professional advice on local medical services and the development of medical education. With the embassy’s introduction, the delegation then visited the Medical Education Department of Bangladesh’s Ministry of Health, where the two sides discussed cooperation on medical education and training programs. The Bangladeshi side plans to organize a delegation to visit the FAH in June for further exchanges. As part of practical engagement with universities and medical institutions, the delegation visited Bangladesh Medical University, where it held in-depth discussions with university leaders and directors of multiple disciplines, and participated in on-site case discussions. The university requested the FAH’s support in establishing a liver transplantation center. The two sides signed a memorandum of understanding on May 10.
The delegation also visited Dhaka Medical College Hospital, the Bangladesh National Cancer Research Center, and the National Cardiovascular Research Center. Several cooperation intentions were finalized with Dhaka Medical College Hospital, with the agreement to be signed after approval by Bangladesh’s Ministry of Health. The Bangladesh National Cancer Research Center highly recognized the FAH’s precision cancer diagnosis and treatment technologies. Given the significant local gap in advanced cardiovascular diagnosis and treatment technologies, the National Cardiovascular Research Center expressed strong interest in deepening cooperation with the FAH in the treatment of complex and critical cardiovascular diseases.
In addition, the delegation visited Evercare, a large local private hospital, where the two sides proposed establishing a joint orthopaedic center and signing a memorandum of understanding. The delegation also visited SUOXI Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, where exploratory exchanges were held on the integration of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine and the export of TCM technologies.
During the visit, the delegation participated in the China-Bangladesh Education, Healthcare and Cultural Exchange Forum and a medical education exhibition. Zhang Xufeng delivered a keynote speech on “Belt and Road Empowerment for the Training of Skilled Healthcare Professionals in China and Bangladesh”. The FAH exhibition booth received more than 50 consultations from various sectors, covering overseas study, physician training, cross-border referrals and other areas. The delegation was also interviewed by central media, sharing prospects for China-Bangladesh cooperation in medical education.
The delegation also contacted the XJTU alumni in Bangladesh to establish a local liaison and publicity mechanism. It provided an on-site consultation for a patient with a bone tumor and connected with FAH specialists to conduct a multidisciplinary remote consultation for an overseas patient.
This visit helped identify Bangladesh’s urgent demand for high-end medical services and demonstrated the FAH’s strength in treating complex and critical diseases. It also led to multiple cooperation intentions in oncology, cardiovascular medicine, liver transplantation, orthopaedics, talent training and telemedicine, laying a solid foundation for building a benchmark for China-Bangladesh cross-border medical cooperation.
