Need to promote Academic Collaboration between China & Pakistan
By Shaukat Ali Jawaid
BEIJING: The People’s Republic of China has made remarkable progress in medical education and healthcare delivery over the past few decades. My recent weeklong visit to various medical institutions and healthcare facilities in Beijing, South China, and Shanghai was a fascinating experience. This marked my seventh visit to China—the first being in 1985 and the most recent prior to this one in 2024. With every visit, the visible transformation and development are impressive, reaffirming China’s emergence as a global superpower.
Having also visited several medical institutions and hospitals in the United States, I can confidently say that the quality of care, infrastructure, and overall standards of Chinese healthcare facilities are in many ways superior. China has consistently supported Pakistan, and we stand to benefit greatly from its experience in the fields of medical education and healthcare. To capitalize on this, Pakistan should intensify efforts to enhance academic collaboration with Chinese researchers, academicians, and healthcare planners.
During this visit, I chose to explore new institutions in different provinces, expanding on the sites I had visited the previous year. In Beijing, I had the privilege of visiting Peking University International Hospital, where I held detailed discussions with faculty members of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery. I introduced the Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences (PJMS) through a presentation, sharing statistics on manuscript submissions from China between 2014 and 2024, which show a steadily increasing trend.
Mr. Shaukat Ali Jawaid presenting his book on Scientific Writing to Prof. of Cardiac Surgery and Director Cardiac Surgery programme at Peking University International Hospital during his recent visit to Beijing, China.
However, I also pointed out the relatively low acceptance rate, highlighting the common deficiencies in submissions. PJMS maintains a strict policy on quality and welcomes high-standard research, including innovations in medical education and healthcare delivery, as well as novel prospective and retrospective studies that offer citation potential. Chinese researchers typically prefer publishing in Impact Factor journals—a requirement for academic promotion set by Chinese regulatory bodies and medical universities—making this an important point of discussion.
Touring various sections of the hospital was an enlightening experience. The facility features wide corridors, a clean and healthy environment, and comfortable waiting areas in the Outpatient Department (OPD). The entire process is automated: patients input their healthcare number into a machine, make the payment, and receive a slip for the desired consultant—completely without human interaction. The hospital pharmacy is conveniently located on the ground floor of the OPD area.
Photographed with the hospital staff during visit to Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital in Fujian province.
My visit to the Radiology Department, Imaging Section, Laboratory, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Coronary Care Unit (CCU), Procedure Room, Cath Lab, General Wards, and Special VIP Wards was highly informative. High-speed elevators throughout the multistory building ensure patients are transferred efficiently and without delay.
China is also manufacturing stents and other materials used in interventional cardiology procedures locally, offering significant cost advantages over imports from Europe and the United States. Chinese stents are steadily gaining market share in Pakistan. Furthermore, China exports Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) globally and has a well-developed electromedical equipment industry. Hospitals across the country are equipped with domestically produced instruments and devices, many of which are also exported.
Blood pressure monitors are placed throughout the hospital, including in the OPD, and patients can access their diagnostic reports via hospital-installed computers. I learned that every citizen in China has a Health Card with a balance that carries over year to year. If patients exceed their balance, they pay only 30% of the charges, while the government covers the remaining 70%. The system appears to function very effectively.
In South China, I visited the Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province. The modern multistory building houses the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology. Though the head of the department was busy with scheduled appointments, he arranged for a consultant and anesthetist to escort me through the facility. Once again, I observed clean, spacious corridors and well-appointed waiting areas. I toured the labor and delivery rooms, general and VIP wards, the Diagnostic and Imaging Section, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), and operating theaters.
Prof. of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Director of the Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, hosted a lunch in honour of
Mr. Shaukat Ali Jawaid Chief Editor Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences. Photograph taken on the occasion shows the host with some other faculty members who also joined at lunch.
The operating theater area maintained strict infection control protocols; we were required to wear gowns and shoe covers, and the head nurse’s permission was needed for entry. Hospital beds are fully monitored, and emergency trolleys are well-stocked with necessary medications and supplies. The hospital director and department head graciously hosted a lunch, joined by other faculty members, during which we engaged in meaningful discussions.
This hospital has a bed capacity of 2,000, with the older facility housing 1,000 beds. Around 20,000 deliveries occur annually, with approximately 40% by cesarean section. The hospital employs 2,700 staff, including doctors, nurses, and technicians. Facilities for Assisted Reproductive Techniques, including IVF, are available, with about 3,000 babies born annually through these methods. Low-dose aspirin is commonly used to manage preeclampsia, recurrent miscarriages, and other gynecological conditions where use of low dose aspirin therapy is indicated and well established. The prevalence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is around 15%. The building has sixteen floors and three basements, one of which is used for parking. I was informed that female staff typically retire between 50 and 55 years of age, while male staff retire at 60.
I gifted the hospital director the latest issue of Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences and four copies of my book Scientific Writing. In return, he presented me with a thoughtful gift of Chinese specialty tea. Faculty from this hospital have been contributing manuscripts to PJMS for several years.
My visit occurred amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, providing an opportunity to express gratitude to our Chinese counterparts for their unwavering support. I also thanked them for China’s continued economic and political backing of Pakistan at various international forums. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project exemplifies China’s commitment to Pakistan’s development.
As a gesture of goodwill, Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences has decided to offer a special discount of USD one hundred on publication charges to all Chinese authors whose manuscripts are accepted after peer review. This offer is valid until December 30, 2025, as a small token of appreciation for our Chinese colleagues.
The final leg of my trip took me to Shanghai, reviving many fond memories of past visits to this financial and business hub of China. Overall, the weeklong visit was rich in learning and immensely helpful in enhancing my professional capacity as a medical journalist. Engaging discussions with Chinese healthcare professionals proved both informative and inspiring.
