Lifeline Express China launches ‘Brightness Action’: Free cataract surgery project in Kalutara Hospi

“2 December is the seventh day of Lifeline Express Cataract Surgery Charity Project in Sri Lanka; more than 50 cataract patients will undergo surgeries. Thereafter they will see the light,” Peking Union Medical College Hospital Associate Professor Zhang Shunhua told reporters after a whole morning of cataract surgeries in Kalutara District General Hospital. 

The Chinese medical team arrived in Sri Lanka in the early morning of 21 November. The team assembled and tested their equipments on the same day of their arrival and started the operation on the third day. So far they have completed more than 300 cases. It is planned to carry out 800 cataract surgeries for low incomes Sri Lankan patients.

On 2 December Health Minister of Sri Lanka Senaratne, as well as Chinese Ambassador Yi Xianliang, National Health and Family Planning Commission of China Vice Minister Cui Li, Former Vice Health Minister of China Yin Dakui,  Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China Honorary Ambassador for poverty alleviation Le Aimei, and Lifeline Express Foundation Founding Chairman Fong Wong Kut Mon, came to the hospital to visit the Chinese medical team and the Sri Lankan patients who have undergone surgeries. All of them attended the launching ceremony of the Brightness Action of Lifeline Express later in the afternoon. 

At the ceremony, Minister Senaratne expressed his gratitude to China’s long term support and assistance to Sri Lanka and said that China is a true friend of Sri Lanka. After the end of the civil war, China granted and invested in a series of major projects of Sri Lanka, such as the renovation of the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall, the construction of Matara Airport, Hambantota Port and Port City. In addition, China also extends huge support to Sri Lanka in the health area. The kidney hospital was under construction. The Brightness Action of Lifeline Express was another vivid embodiment of Sri Lanka-China friendship. The Sri Lanka side was willing to enhance health sector cooperation under the framework of ‘One Belt One Road’ for the benefits of both peoples.

Ambassador Yi spoke highly of the China-Sri Lanka traditional friendship and the exchanges and cooperation between the two countries in the health sector, and appreciated the efforts by Lifeline Express Foundation to bring the ‘Brightness Action’ to Sri Lanka. Ambassador Yi reiterated China’s friendly policy toward Sri Lanka, which is based on the interests of the two countries and peoples. China attaches importance to the bilateral exchanges and cooperation in the health sector. 

Over half of China’s grant to Sri Lanka is in health area. The big projects such as Outpatient Department Building of National Hospital of Sri Lanka and the Hospital for Kidney Diseases aided by China are carrying out smoothly. We look forward to deepen the cooperation with Sri Lanka side to bring more tangible benefits to the two peoples.

Yi pointed out that during Sri Lankan Prime Minister Wickremesinghe’s visit to China in April this year, China announced that it would provide eight mobile medical vehicles to Sri Lanka. Next year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Sri Lanka. It is believed that both sides will participate in the celebration with great enthusiasm to promote the development of Sino-Sri Lanka diplomatic relations to a new height.

Vice Minister Cui Li said the implementation of cataract surgery for the local people, not only would benefits the local people, but also would promote the relationship between the two countries. Under the ‘One Belt One Road’ initiative, the construction of the ‘Silk Road of Health’ should also be vigorously promoted, and this free cataract surgery project marks the very beginning of the road. In the future, with the deepening economic and social exchanges between China and Sri Lanka, the two countries were expected to achieve more achievements in the field of health, such as prevention and control of infectious diseases, cooperation in traditional medicine, technical exchanges and personnel exchanges between the two countries. The enhancement of these exchanges would further deepen the traditional friendship between the two countries and bring tangible benefits to both peoples.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China Honorary Ambassador for poverty alleviation Le Aimei told the reporters that Sri Lanka was a traditional friendly neighbour of China. “Its tropical location and humid climate cause high risk of cataract which needed foreign medical and technical assistance. Over the past 20 years, the Lifeline Express in China travelled 28 provinces and autonomous regions and helped around 19 million cataract patients. The past practices had accumulated a lot of experience. Thus this time, Lifeline Express with prominent medical team, equipment and technology for the first time went out of China, came to Sri Lanka to help the low-income patients here. With this good start, I believe the ‘Brightness Action’ of Lifeline Express could go further to help the countries along the ‘One Belt One Road’ initiative.”

Lifeline Express Founding Chairwoman Fong Wong Kut Mon introduced Lifeline Express as China’s one and only mobile eye train hospital specialising in charitable medical activities. In July 1997, in order to celebrate the return of Hong Kong (HK) to the Motherland, HK compatriots proposed an initiative to build and donate the first China Lifeline Express to provide sight rehabilitating operations for patients with cataract. The year of 2017 was the 20th anniversary of the reunification of Hong Kong, and also the 20th anniversary of the Lifeline Express. Under this background, the Lifeline Express decided to go out of China to provide charitable healthcare to friendly countries. 

At the suggestion of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sri Lanka was selected as the first overseas charitable project country. The Chinese medical team would conduct cataract surgeries for 800 low-income Sri Lankan patients, as well as carry out a technical training and exchange program to help improve the local medical capacity building. In the future Lifeline Express also planned to establish an eye bank to promote corneal donation and treatment.

The Brightness Action in Sri Lanka was conducted with the cooperation of the Ministry of Health, Nutrition and Indigent Medicine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, the National Health and Family Planning Commission of China, and the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka. The Chinese medical team consists of nine people, including doctors and nurses from Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), engineers from Beijing Tongren Hospital, the coordinator from the International Exchange Centre of the National Health and Family Planning Commission of China. 

PUMCH founded in 1921 is the most leading Chinese National Hospital enjoying high reputation for its full range of disciplines, cutting-edge technologies and outstanding specialties which has completed many other major overseas medical tasks including the 2014 Ethiopian Brightness Action.