2021 CIFTIS would help to enhance China Pakistan cross border medical cooperation
China Economic Net
Beijing: The 2021 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) will provide a platform to health experts of China and Pakistan to enhance cooperation in the medical field. It will also boost development in digital trade as participants share the latest technologies for the benefit of mankind, said Dr. Muhammad Shahbaz President of China-Pakistan Medical Association (CPMA), and global affairs officer of WHO (World Health Organization).
2021 CIFTIS will be held in Beijing from September 2-7 both online and offline with the theme of “Towards Digital Future and services Driven Development” covering the 12 sectors of trade in services defined by WTO.
“I hope there would be more cooperation in healthcare sector between China and Pakistan, while CPMA & Silk Road Health Care can play an important role for the technology transfer, medical education, research and training of youth so more people could benefit from these advanced technologies”, Dr. Shahbaz told China Economic Net.
He further said that having medical education background and being trained in robotic surgery at the top robotic training institute IRCAD, France, he has been contemplating how the technology can come to his own country. and when the people of Pakistan can enjoy the standard healthcare facilities? So, he started to participate actively in the Belt and Road Initiative acting as a bridge between Pakistan and China to build up cooperation in the healthcare infrastructure development, especially for the basic and advanced training of healthcare professionals.
Shahbaz said that as the CEO of Shandong Silk Road Medical Device Co., Ltd., it’s a great pleasure to explore new horizons in the healthcare industry in China.
“It is a great experience to participate in the upcoming China International Fair for Trade in Services. The innovative ideas and the concept of the Institute are unique. Precision surgery and image-guided robotic-assisted surgeries are the future of surgery. Artificial Intelligence, Augmented & Virtual Reality use in Medicine has been increasing”, he added.
He mentioned that the fast-growing population and the number of diseases and complexity make it far difficult for one country to tackle the healthcare issues successfully, adding that collective efforts by multiple countries are necessary to combat global health problems such as infectious diseases, lifestyle risks, and health inequality, which all span beyond one sovereign border.
“As I am the first fellow of Robotic and Minimally Invasive Surgery at IRCAD from Pakistan, I have learned advanced techniques at IRCAD France. The future is based on known success. The new challenge in the modern medical field is that our enemies (virus, bacteria, and pathogens) are getting stronger and stronger and have gotten resistant against drugs; and the diseases have become more severe and complicated while new infectious diseases and viruses erupt and are evolving with the modernization of human society, this services fair would help us learn new technology”, he stated.
In the modern era, precision surgery has evolved too where we can use the CT, MRI, PACS scans of the patients to compile and combine them together using novel software to get the virtual 3D view of patients’ anatomy and internal organs. This can be used intraoperatively for planning the right surgical procedure and is beneficial and convenient for both doctors and patients. China International Fair for Trade in Services would use 3D and above technology that can be export to BRI-related and other countries.
The use of Google glasses and HoloLens in advanced precision surgery and ultramodern computer software for the diagnostic imaging of the internal organs can also be used for the real-time tracking of skin deformation, simulation of organ deformation, and real-time laparoscopic image analysis.
“During my last visit to China International Fair for Trade in Services, I saw the modern equipment and technologies of diagnosis and treatment of diseases especially cancer. The future of surgery will be based on the image-guided surgery via the use of the techniques of virtual patients, preoperative simulation, intraoperative assistance, and combining augmented reality and robotics”, Shahbaz told CEN.
He further said that the Health Corridor concept is a multidisciplinary interconnected group of centers consisting of Medical Universities, hospitals, pharmaceutical, Traditional Medicine academies & Hospital, Paramedical, Research & Training centers, in countries along Belt & Road linked together by Mobile Hospitals/Labs/Pharmacy, Artificial intelligence, VR/AR and Big data.
“It’s my dream that advanced technology can be transferred to Pakistan. China Pakistan Health Corridor is a great opportunity in this regard”, he stated.
