Project HOPE, one of the biggest US-based international
non-profit charity foundations, renewed a five-year agreement with
Shanghai Second Medical University Wednesday.
According to the agreement, the project will help build an
18-floor cardiac center at Shanghai Children's Medical Center and
cooperate with the university to launch more international
conferences and promote the treatment of diabetes, heart disease
and other ailments.
Moreover, the project will finance local medical professionals
to study and intern abroad as well as sending foreign medical
experts to provide training and long-term service at hospitals in
Shanghai.
"Project HOPE is very glad to help improve medical service in
China," said John Howe, president and CEO of Project HOPE. "We have
donated some US$45 million in cash and equipment to Shanghai
Children's Medical Center. It is our biggest program in the world
to build it as China's best and biggest surgery center and training
center for children's heart disease."
In addition to financial aid, health officials said the
cooperation brings new concepts to the city.
"Through experts sent by Project HOPE, we have learned many
advanced ideas from the West," said Shen Xiaoming, president of
Shanghai Second Medical University.
"For instance, we are able to reduce our patients' average
hospital stay by 10 days - from 50 to 40 days."
"We also recruit volunteers to give academic direction to
hospitalized children and they can keep up with their classmates
after being discharged from hospital," he added.
(Shanghai Daily August 26, 2004)