A Tale of Two Cities Supporting Xinjiang

"The 100th heart surgery was a success!"

Applause erupted in the operating room.

Nuerbahati put down the scalpel, looked at the stable numbers on the monitor, and breathed a sigh of relief.

In the three years since its establishment, the Shihezi Heart Center has seen its annual surgical volume increase from less than 100 cases to more than 300 cases.

Now, this place is not only the heart center of Shihezi, but also the cardiac surgery hub of northern Xinjiang, where critically ill patients from Altay, Tacheng, and Karamay are sent.

"Director, the video call from Dalian has been connected," the nurse reminded him.

Nuerbahati walked to the remote consultation center, where Zhou Yi's smiling face appeared on the screen.

"Director Nu, that's one hundred cases! Congratulations!"

Nurbahati sincerely said, "You deserve half the credit. Without the legacy you left behind and your remote guidance, we wouldn't be where we are today."

Over the past three years, the remote surgical guidance mechanism has become increasingly mature.

Dalian has accumulated ten successful cross-regional collaborative surgeries, with surgeons in Xinjiang and guidance from Dalian, saving many patients who could not travel to the mainland due to transportation risks.

What makes Nurbahati even more proud is the growth of his team. He has trained five local doctors who can independently perform highly complex surgeries, two of whom are from ethnic minorities.

He reported to Zhou Yi, "Batu performed a mitral valve replacement surgery independently today, and it was very successful."

"Very good!"

Zhou Yi was even happier than him, "I remember when I left, he was just an ordinary doctor."

"He's now a key member of our department."

Nurbahati remarked, "You're right. Technology needs to be grounded, but the key is for people to grow."

On the other end of the video call, Zhou Yi suddenly said, "Director Nu, our hospital is hosting an international cardiac surgery conference next month, and I would like to invite you to give a presentation on the development model of cardiac surgery in border regions."

Nurbahati was taken aback: "Me? An international conference?"

Yes, you.

Zhou Yi affirmed, "Your experience is very valuable: how to perform complex surgeries in resource-limited areas, how to use remote technology to make up for insufficient resources, and how to cultivate local teams."

Hospitals in developed countries also want to learn these techniques.

After hanging up the phone, Nurbahati stood by the window, looking at the bustling traffic below.

Ten years ago, there wasn't even a proper cardiac surgery department here; five years ago, he was still worrying about minimally invasive surgery.

Now, they have state-of-the-art operating rooms, a mature team, and a cross-provincial cooperation network.

The phone rang. It was Ayiguli: "Director Nu, we have a patient with rheumatic heart disease and rheumatic activity. Our Traditional Chinese Medicine department would like to collaborate with your Cardiac Surgery department for treatment."

"Okay, let's schedule a time for a consultation together."

Such integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine treatment is now the norm.

"I hereby declare the Liaoning-Xinjiang Medical Alliance officially established!"

Zhou Hongmei and Zhou Yi, representing Liaoning, signed an alliance agreement with Xinjiang.

This is not a simple collaboration, but a deep partnership, with both parties sharing medical resources, jointly building research platforms, jointly training talent, and jointly undertaking medical tasks.

The first project under the alliance is the "Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Treatment Center for Mental Illness", which is jointly managed by Nuerbahati and Ayiguli.

"Heart disease is not just a problem of the heart."

At the center's founding meeting, Aygul said, "From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, it is related to the liver, spleen, and kidneys."

Our Traditional Chinese Medicine department is responsible for regulating the whole body and improving the patient's constitution; the Cardiac Surgery department is responsible for addressing organic lesions.

A two-pronged approach yields better results.

Nurbahati added: "For example, in postoperative recovery, Western medicine prevents infection and has anticoagulant effects, while traditional Chinese medicine regulates qi and blood and promotes recovery."

Our data shows that patients treated with a combination of traditional Chinese and Western medicine experienced a 30% reduction in postoperative complications and a 20% shorter recovery time.

Over the past three years, the alliance has carried out three major scientific research projects and trained more than 100 medical professionals.

The annual Liaoning-Xinjiang Medical Forum has become a grand gathering for doctors from both regions.

"This year's forum received more than 200 papers, of which 30 were accepted by national-level journals."

Zhou Yi flipped through the collection of essays, filled with emotion.

Zhou Hongmei pointed to one of the papers: "This paper, 'An Exploration of the Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Diagnosis and Treatment Model for Rheumatism in Border Areas,' is authored by Ayiguli and has a very high impact factor."

"She's growing up so fast."

"Because they have fertile land," Zhou Hongmei said, looking out the window. "This land needs them, and they have found their value on this land."

"Teacher Zhou, the I Ching Doctor."

After the celebration ended, Rehemaitila brought a young man over to the hospital courtyard.

The boy was eighteen or nineteen years old, wore glasses, and was very refined.

"This is my grandson, Erken. He was admitted to Xinjiang Medical University this year!" Rehemaiti said with pride.

Erken was a little shy, but he still mustered up his courage and said, "Teacher Zhou, I applied for the integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine major."

You cured my grandmother's rheumatism, and you cured my mother's heart disease at the heart center.

I want to study medicine, so I can protect the frontier like you.

Zhou Hongmei's eyes welled up with tears, and she patted the child's shoulder: "Good child, you will be even more outstanding than us."

The Book of Changes also says, "Study hard, and come back here when you've mastered your skills. This place needs local doctors like you."

As the sun set, Zhou Hongmei, Zhou Yi, Ayiguli, and Nurbahati stood in front of the hospital's main building. A new plaque hung there: "Liaoning and Xinjiang Medical Services: One Family."

"It's been five years," Zhou Hongmei said softly. "Do you still remember what you looked like when you first arrived?"

"How could I not remember?" Zhou Yi laughed. "I was carrying an electrocardiograph machine, worrying about how to go to the countryside, while you were carrying an acupuncture kit, not knowing where to start teaching."

Aygul chimed in, "I remember the first time I got an acupuncture, my hands were shaking like a sieve."

"I remember the first heart surgery, there wasn't enough blood, and I was sweating profusely with anxiety," Nurbahati said.

Now, the TCM clinic is packed with patients, the number of surgeries at the cardiac center has doubled, and the training base has produced countless talents across the country.

Aygul pointed to the newly built inpatient building in the distance, "Teacher, look, that's a ward for integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine. It will be put into use next month."

We plan to conduct more joint medical services there.

Nurbahati said, "The second phase of the Heart Center project has also been approved, and a hybrid operating room will be built to perform combined interventional and surgical procedures."

Zhou Yi looked at them and said, "You no longer need our guidance."

Aygul said earnestly, "Yes, we need you to watch us go further."

Zhou Hongmei took Ayiguli's hand, then Nurbahati's, and Zhou Yi's hand covered hers. The four hands clasped tightly together.

Zhou Hongmei said, "Then let's get together once a year and see the apricot blossoms bloom all over the border region."

"Okay, let's get together once a year." The three of them said in unison.

The evening breeze carries the fragrance of medicinal herbs from the distant fields.

In the Chinese herbal medicine garden, licorice, astragalus, and goji berries sway in the setting sun, some already flowering and bearing fruit.