分类： health

A devastating humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Gaza’s maternity wards, where newborn mortality rates have skyrocketed by 75% according to alarming new data from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The agency’s comprehensive assessment reveals that between July and September, neonatal facilities recorded approximately 47 infant deaths monthly—a dramatic increase from the pre-conflict monthly average of 27 documented throughout 2022.

The nutritional crisis affecting pregnant women has created a cascading health emergency. UNICEF’s Tuesday briefing disclosed that 38% of screened pregnant women received diagnoses of acute malnutrition, with at least 8,300 expectant and breastfeeding women requiring emergency nutritional treatment in October alone. This maternal health catastrophe has directly impacted newborn outcomes, with the number of underweight infants (below 2.5 kilograms) nearly doubling from 250 monthly cases in 2022 to approximately 460 currently.

Medical professionals emphasize the grave implications of low birth weight, as these vulnerable infants face mortality risks 20 times higher than those born at healthy weights. UNICEF communications manager Tess Ingram provided firsthand testimony from Gaza’s hospitals, describing newborns weighing less than one kilogram struggling for survival. ‘The unmistakable pattern of malnourished mothers giving birth to premature or underweight infants represents a preventable tragedy,’ Ingram stated, noting that this suffering ‘could have been prevented if international humanitarian law had been respected.’

The healthcare collapse exacerbates the crisis, with Israeli authorities repeatedly blocking medical delegations and restricting aid shipments. Despite ceasefire agreements, only 14,534 aid trucks have entered Gaza since October—less than half of the 37,200 trucks required for basic humanitarian relief. This systematic obstruction has contributed to over 450 documented deaths from starvation and dehydration, including more than 154 children.

UNICEF officials report that 9,300 children across Gaza were identified as acutely malnourished in October, creating a generational health crisis that will likely result in lifelong complications for survivors. The agency continues urgent appeals for unimpeded humanitarian access, particularly for nutritional support targeting pregnant women and essential medical equipment for neonatal intensive care units.

VIENTIANE, LAOS – A transformative healthcare partnership officially commenced operations on Thursday with the national launch of the Mekong Children’s Heart Care Project (2025-2027). This ambitious tripartite collaboration brings together Laos’ Ministry of Health, the Mekong Institute, and China’s prestigious Fuwai Hospital under the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.

Financed through China’s Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, this initiative represents a concrete implementation of the Global Development Initiative. The program specifically targets congenital heart disease, which remains a leading cause of childhood mortality across Laos and Cambodia.

The comprehensive project framework encompasses multiple strategic components: establishing national-level screening systems, introducing advanced diagnostic and treatment technologies, and substantially enhancing the professional capabilities of healthcare providers in both nations. Over its two-year implementation period, the initiative aims to achieve measurable impact through screening at least 10,000 children nationwide, providing complete treatment cycles for no fewer than 30 diagnosed patients, and training over 110 medical professionals.

Additional capacity-building measures include specialized fellowship programs at Fuwai Hospital for Lao medical specialists, complemented by the donation of critical medical equipment including ultrasound machines and essential supplies.

Khampasong Theppanya, Director-General of Laos’ Department of Health and Rehabilitation, emphasized the project’s dual significance: “This initiative delivers urgent care to children with congenital heart conditions, particularly those in remote regions, while simultaneously strengthening our national healthcare infrastructure through professional development and evidence-based policy formation.”

The director-general further acknowledged China’s substantial support, noting that it “reflects China’s profound commitment to our enduring bilateral friendship and its sustained dedication to advancing Laos’ healthcare sector.”

Suriyan Vichitlekarn, Executive Director of the Mekong Institute, characterized the project as a milestone in regional cooperation that “fortifies Lao PDR’s technical capacity while providing joint support for Cambodia, ultimately benefiting local communities and fostering more equitable healthcare systems throughout the Mekong region.”

Duo Lin, Fuwai Hospital’s representative and project liaison, confirmed the initiative’s alignment with both China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly objectives targeting reduced mortality among children under five and adolescents.

Shanghai Renji Hospital commemorated two decades of providing world-class international medical services during a special ceremony on December 11, 2025, highlighting its pioneering achievements in pediatric liver transplantation that have transformed lives across borders.

The celebration featured emotional reunions with former international patients, including a Malaysian woman who received a life-saving liver transplant at the hospital in 2014 when she was just three years old. The patient had been suffering from critical liver cirrhosis caused by biliary atresia, a condition that had exhausted all treatment options in her home country before her family sought help at the Shanghai institution.

Under the leadership of Dr. Xia Qiang, President of Renji Hospital and esteemed academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, the medical team performed a successful living-donor liver transplant that saved the young girl’s life. This breakthrough case marked the beginning of what would become an extensive international pediatric transplant program.

Over the past two decades, Renji Hospital’s specialized pediatric liver transplant team has treated more than 60 children from multiple countries including Malaysia, the Philippines, and Mongolia. Beyond direct patient care, the hospital has established knowledge transfer partnerships, particularly with Malaysian medical institutions, where Chinese specialists have shared surgical expertise and helped establish local capabilities for performing pediatric living-donor liver transplants.

The anniversary event not only celebrated past achievements but also launched new initiatives to expand the hospital’s global healthcare mission, reinforcing Shanghai’s growing reputation as a destination for advanced medical treatment and international medical collaboration.

In a remarkable demonstration of medical innovation, brain-computer interface (BCI) technology is offering new hope to individuals suffering from paralysis and neurodegenerative conditions. At the forefront of this revolution, Chinese medical researchers are achieving significant milestones in clinical applications that restore movement and communication capabilities.

At a Langfang nursing home in Hebei province, ALS patient Wang Ming represents thousands awaiting transformative BCI treatments. With minimal muscle control after six years of battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Wang’s simple aspiration to operate his phone independently exemplifies the life-changing potential of this technology. He is among over 500 patients registered for ongoing clinical trials across China.

Professor Qu Yan, Director of Neurosurgery at Tangdu Hospital in Xi’an, explains the technology’s mechanism: “BCI functions as a digital bridge for the nervous system. When conditions like ALS or spinal cord injuries disrupt neural pathways, our systems bypass damaged areas by capturing brain signals directly, decoding them, and converting them into commands for external devices or muscle stimulation.”

The technology translates cognitive intentions into physical actions. As Professor Qu illustrates: “When a patient sees a flame and wishes to move away, that intention is captured by implanted chips and transformed into movement commands.”

While Western nations pioneered early BCI research, China has emerged as a formidable innovator in the field. A July 2025 Nature report highlighted China’s rapid ascendance, noting that certain Chinese-developed devices now surpass even Elon Musk’s Neuralink project in specific performance metrics. Professor Qu attributes this accelerated progress to China’s extensive medical infrastructure and substantial population base, which provides unparalleled opportunities for clinical testing and refinement.

This convergence of neurological science and digital technology represents one of the most promising frontiers in medical rehabilitation, potentially restoring independence to those with severe motor impairments.

In a groundbreaking medical achievement, Chinese ophthalmologists have successfully performed the world’s first eye surgery aboard a domestically developed C909 aircraft, marking the operational launch of China’s inaugural self-developed “flying eye hospital.

The historic procedure took place on Wednesday at Zhengzhou Xinzheng Airport, where Dr. Liang Lingyi, Deputy Director of Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, demonstrated remarkable surgical precision while operating inside the aircraft cabin. Using specialized microsurgical equipment, Dr. Liang completed an ocular surface surgery on a patient from rural Henan province in mere minutes.

The patient, identified as Ms. Zhang, had previously faced significant barriers to specialized eye care due to her remote location. “I never imagined I could receive such advanced medical treatment so close to home,” Zhang expressed after regaining clear vision. “The doctors’ expertise is extraordinary, and I’m profoundly grateful to see the world clearly again.”

This innovative airborne medical facility represents a major advancement in China’s healthcare accessibility initiatives. The converted C909 aircraft features state-of-the-art medical equipment and sterile environments meeting clinical standards, enabling specialists to deliver high-quality ophthalmological services to underserved regions.

The flying hospital initiative addresses critical healthcare disparities by bringing sophisticated medical resources directly to remote communities. This approach eliminates the need for patients in isolated areas to undertake arduous journeys to urban medical centers, potentially revolutionizing how specialized care reaches China’s rural population.

Medical authorities highlight that this achievement demonstrates China’s growing capabilities in both aviation technology and medical innovation. The successful surgery aboard a moving aircraft required overcoming unique challenges including vibration dampening, sterile maintenance, and precision instrument stabilization.

The Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center confirmed that this milestone inaugurates regular clinical services through the flying hospital program, with plans to expand surgical specialties and reach additional remote communities across China.

Chinese health and education authorities have unveiled comprehensive guidelines implementing a total prohibition of electronic screen exposure for children aged 0-3 years. This decisive measure forms part of an ambitious national initiative to safeguard children’s physiological ‘far-sight reserve’ and combat the escalating myopia epidemic at its developmental origins.

The joint policy directive, issued by the Ministry of Education, National Health Commission, and National Disease Control and Prevention Administration, highlights the critical importance of preserving natural hyperopic conditions in early childhood. Normally present at birth (approximately 250-300 degrees), this far-sight reserve gradually diminishes through adolescence, typically stabilizing into normal vision between ages 12-15. Premature depletion serves as a primary indicator for myopia development.

Alarming statistics reveal myopia incidence among Chinese schoolchildren reached 51.9% in 2022, with high school students exceeding 80% prevalence. This follows the ministry’s 2021 classroom smartphone prohibition, now expanded to encompass earlier developmental stages.

Age-specific interventions include:
• 0-3 years: Complete screen avoidance, minimum 10 hours daily sleep, and maximized outdoor sunlight exposure
• 3-6 years: Outdoor activity prioritization with minimal screen contact, replacing academic preparation with visual-tracking games
• School-aged children: Mandatory two-hour daily outdoor activities and development-appropriate exercise plans

Healthcare institutions must conduct regular refractive screenings at ages 2-6, while schools perform biannual vision assessments with standardized monitoring of far-sight reserve trends. Children identified with deficient reserve will receive targeted interventions and specialist referrals.

The guidelines emphasize parental responsibility through role modeling—reducing personal screen usage during family time—and creating vision-healthy environments with ergonomic furniture and enforced 20-20-20 rules (20-second distance-viewing breaks every 20 minutes). Educational institutions will assign physical education homework and utilize parent-teacher meetings to disseminate scientific eye care knowledge, supported by enhanced training for school medical staff.

This multi-faceted approach establishes collaborative protection mechanisms engaging families, educational institutions, medical facilities, and communities in preserving juvenile ocular health from infancy through adolescence.