On July 3, China’s first home-made specialized medical aircraft for eye and ENT treatment, C909 medical aircraft, developed by the Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University and the Commercial Aircraft Corp of China(COMAC), made its debut in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Co-hosted by the Eye and ENT Hospital of Fudan University, COMAC, and the Shanghai Overseas Chinese Foundation for Development, this debut marks the mission’s first appearance in Central Asia.
Integrating charitable diagnosis and treatment, medical exchange, equipment demonstration, and long-term cooperation, the Central Asian mission advances China’s Belt and Road Initiative, fulfills key consensus reached under the China-Central Asia Emergency Management Cooperation Mechanism, and contributes to building a global community of health for all.
Last September, the aircraft completed its inaugural demonstration flight and charitable clinic in Shihezi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It accomplished its first overseas mission in Vientiane, Laos last February, having since provided over 1,700 consultations and performed 49 charitable surgeries. The Central Asia mission represents the second cross-border deployment since the aircraft received its medical practice license.
World’s First Eye and ENT “Flying Hospital”
The C909 medical aircraft is the world’s first specialized aircraft hospital for ophthalmology and otorhinolaryngology, and holds China’s first and only medical practice license for a flying hospital. Based on the C909 aircraft platform, this medical variant is designed to meet specialized eye and ENT diagnostic and surgical needs, while adaptable to carry medical equipment for emergency rescue and aeromedical evacuation missions.
Its core surgical area features China’s first airborne operating room to achieve the highest Class I cleanliness standard certified by CMA/CNAS. The aircraft is fully equipped with a complete suite of independently developed intelligent diagnostic and treatment devices covering the entire chain from screening, diagnosis, surgery, rehabilitation to teleconsultation.
These demonstrate the innovative strength arising from the deep integration of Chinese aviation manufacturing, medical equipment, and medical technology.
During its stay in Kazakhstan, the “flying hospital” collaborated with the Emergency and Mining Equipment Special Exhibition at the 21st Kazakhstan-China Commodity Exhibition to conduct static displays at Almaty International Airport.
Open to medical, aviation, and emergency management professionals as well as the general public from Kazakhstan and neighboring countries, the exhibition showcased domestically produced aircraft and cutting-edge medical equipment while offering visitors zero-distance experience of the “Airborne Digital Intelligence Diagnosis and Treatment” scenario for eye and ENT health, highlighting the precision, connectivity, and efficiency of China’s digital intelligent healthcare.
Partners Jointly Launch the Central Asia Mission
At the launch ceremony on July 3, officials from the Chinese Consulate General in Almaty, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, China’s Ministry of Emergency Management, China’s Ministry of Commerce, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, COMAC, and the Eye and ENT Hospital of Fudan University jointly declared the mission launched. Representatives from medical institutions in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan received the flag of the Central Asia Ophthalmic Medical Cooperation Alliance of the Flying Hospital, marking the start of the “Brilliant Vision” relay along the Silk Road.
At the ceremony, the Eye and ENT Hospital of Fudan University and Al-Farabi Kazakh National University signed a cooperation memorandum to advance collaboration in clinical medicine, scientific research, education, and talent cultivation, further strengthening health cooperation between China and Central Asian countries.
Building a Three-Dimensional Framework for China-Kazakhstan Health Cooperation
Beyond onboard displays and experiences, this mission extends from the flying hospital as its center to encompass medical technology demonstration, healthcare professional training, academic exchange, and long-term mechanism development, promoting substantive and in-depth cooperation in the health sector between China and Kazakhstan.
The Eye and ENT Hospital of Fudan University, in collaboration with the Kazakhstan International Vision Care Center, held a joint charitable consultation on complex cases between Chinese and Kazakh hospitals on July 2.
Senior ophthalmology experts from both countries provided joint diagnostic services for 23 local patients with complex eye diseases, sharing cutting-edge treatment experience. The two hospitals signed a cooperation agreement the same day to jointly establish the Central Asia Ophthalmic Medical Alliance of the Flying Hospital. Together, they unveiled the Digital Intelligence Remote Consultation and Training Center.
Innovative Model Contributes to Building a Global Community of Health for All
The debut of the flying hospital in Kazakhstan represents a significant step in the overseas expansion of domestically produced aircraft and medical equipment, as well as another innovative exploration of China’s new foreign medical assistance model.
The project aligns with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization health cooperation framework, focusing on cross-border medical collaboration, specialized talent cultivation, and emergency medical rescue, and will serve as a landmark project for Shanghai’s health cooperation with Central Asian countries.
YANG Weiguo, deputy secretary of the CPC Committee of Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, noted that this first Central Asia mission of the C909 medical aircraft represents a new practice of Fudan Medicine in engaging in international medical exchange and cooperation, as well as an important opportunity to deepen cooperation between China and Kazakhstan in eye and ENT medical care, medical education, talent cultivation, and public health services. Building on this Central Asia mission, the College will work hand in hand with universities, medical institutions, and partners in Kazakhstan and neighboring countries to promote more practical, substantive, and enduring China-Central Asia health cooperation, contributing greater strength to building a global community of health for all.
ZHOU Xingtao, president of the Eye and ENT Hospital of Fudan University, stated that the hospital will continue its collaboration with COMAC. Taking this Central Asia mission as a new starting point, it will deepen long-term cooperation with Central Asian countries in clinical diagnosis and treatment, medical education, scientific research innovation, and emergency management, continuously expand the international application scenarios of domestically produced aeromedical equipment, and inject new momentum into high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and the building of a global community of health for all.
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Source: Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University
Writer: WANG Mengqi
Editor: LI Yijie
