March 13, 2025
DHAKA – The first batch of Bangladeshi patients reached China’s Kunming city for medical treatment on Monday, marking a new chapter in the bilateral ties between the East Asian country and Bangladesh.
The development came as the nations are celebrating the golden jubilee of friendship.
The delegation comprised 14 patients, three of whom were children with congenital heart disease, along with their attendants, five doctors, and five travel agency representatives. The patients and their family members will undergo medical check-ups and receive treatment at designated hospitals, while the doctors and travel agents will assess hospital facilities, accommodation, and travel arrangements.
During a trip to China earlier this year, Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain proposed strengthening bilateral ties in public health, requesting China to facilitate medical treatment for Bangladeshi patients, among other proposals.
To accommodate Bangladeshi patients, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen, during a press conference at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, said the visa process will be expedited as soon as possible to ensure there is no delay in treatment.
Accompanying the delegation were 10 journalists from different media houses in Bangladesh.
After landing in Yunnan province’s Kunming, all the patients, doctors, travel agents, and journalists were welcomed at the VIP reception area of Kunming Airport.
Bangladesh Ambassador to China Nazmul Islam; Md Khaled, Bangladesh’s consul general in Kunming; former Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming; Yang Shaocheng, director general of the Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Yunnan Province; and Wang Jiankun, deputy director general of the province’s Health Commission welcomed all those who travelled from Bangladesh.
In his speech, Nazmul Islam said this visit opened a new chapter in the ever-growing friendship between the two nations. “As we gather in the beautiful city of Kunming, we not only celebrate an important initiative in health cooperation but also commemorate a historic milestone — the 50th anniversary of the Bangladesh-China diplomatic relations.
“Our relationship, rooted in history, has evolved into a comprehensive strategic partnership encompassing political, economic, trade, defence, culture, and now, this new cooperation in the health sector. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1975, our countries have worked closely on a range of initiatives, overcoming challenges and embracing new opportunities. China has been a steadfast partner in Bangladesh’s journey towards development, supporting our infrastructure projects and our industrialisation efforts.”
He added, “As we celebrate this special anniversary, we take a significant step towards enhancing people-to-people relationships through healthcare cooperation. The launch of this cooperation is a landmark achievement that will not only benefit the people of Bangladesh but also strengthen the bonds of friendship between our two nations. Through this initiative, Bangladeshi patients will have access to world-class medical facilities in China, receiving specialised treatment and care. This pilot initiative will lay the foundation for a structured, long-term healthcare cooperation program between our two countries.”
Nazmul also said this visit presents an invaluable opportunity for medical professionals to engage in a meaningful knowledge exchange. “The participation of Bangladeshi doctors in this initiative will enable them to gain exposure to China’s advanced medical practices, innovative methodologies, and cutting-edge research.”
After the reception, the patients were taken to their designated hospitals – some for check-ups, some for treatment.
Three of the patients — Al Fuad Ahmed Sajid, 10; Yeamin Ibne Ripon, 8, from Dhaka; and Partha Das, 18 months old — were admitted to the pediatric ward of Fuwai Yunnan Hospital under the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. All three of them have holes in their hearts.
Fuwai Yunnan Hospital is one of the most advanced hospitals specialising in cardiovascular diseases in China. With state-of-the-art machinery and technology, it has earned itself a triple-A rating. It also has the only AI-generated MRI machine in the country.
Speaking to The Daily Star on Tuesday (March 11), Sajid’s mother, Mosammat Selina Akhter, said, “We came all the way from Kishoreganj under this initiative [by the two governments]. Earlier, Sajid was admitted to the National Heart Foundation [in Bangladesh]. After we came here, we were pleasantly surprised by the behavior of the doctors and other staffers and also their facilities. We are very hopeful about his treatment.”
Partha’s mother, Suchanda Rani Das, had similar hopes after coming to the hospital.
Mohammad Ripon Khan, father of Yeamin, said, “So far, everything has been going well. The only problem we face is the language barrier. The doctors do not understand us, and we do not understand them. But thankfully, we have someone who helps us with translation and interpretation.”
Speaking to a translator accompanying five paediatric patients from Cambodia, this correspondent learned the process the hospital follows with foreign patients.
“After admission, they spend around a day or two doing relevant tests on the patient to check which areas need focus. After that, they discuss with specialists, most of the time from Beijing, and set a suitable date for the surgery, which takes around two to three hours. Once the surgery is over, the child is sent to the paediatric ICU for initial recovery, which also only takes a couple of days. The child is then sent back to the ward to be under observation for a few days, and once the doctors think the patient is fit enough for physical activity, they are sent back. The whole process doesn’t take more than a week,” Sokhon, the translator for Cambodian patients, said.
Dr Wan Chinchin from the Radiology Department explained the risks of untreated congenital heart disease. “In Sajid’s case, if left untreated, his condition could lead to heart failure or cardiac arrhythmia. However, the whole procedure could be done quickly. It may vary from patient to patient, but we hope he can return to physical activity very soon.”
Fuwai Yunnan Cardiovascular Hospital sees around 24-30 foreign pediatric patients among 300,000 patients each year.
After the tests, the children were visited by Bangladesh Ambassador to China Nazmul Islam and former Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming, who handed out gifts to the patients.