By Xiao Wu, iChongqing news.

Chongqing - On Sept. 25, the 2019 International Training Workshop on Ultrasound Therapy for Tumors had its commencement ceremony in Johannesburg, South Africa. Twenty-two well-known clinicians from 13 countries were granted with the course-completion certificates issued by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China. The Biomedical Engineering College of Chongqing Medical University, China and the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa signed the Memorandum of Understanding for the purpose of further cooperation in training of high-level talents and other respects.

The commencement ceremony at Bara Hospital.

The signing of Memorandum of Understanding.

The 2019 International Training Workshop on Ultrasound Therapy for Tumors was co-organized by Chongqing Science and Technology Bureau, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing High-tech Incubation Center, and Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Science and Technology of People’s Republic of China and Science and Technology Communication Center of People’s Republic of China. This Training Workshop lasted for 15 days and involved 22 well-known clinicians from 13 countries including South Africa, Philippines, Benin, Guinea, Morocco, Burkina Faso, Algeria, Ethiopia, Gabon, Tunisia, Mali, Cote D’Ivoire, Senegal.

Dr. Raymond Setzen, Director of HIFU Center at Bara Hospital, was teaching trainee doctors.

Following the concept of minimally invasive and noninvasive medicine, the Training Workshop provided a training program with diverse courses integrating the basic principles of Focused Ultrasound Surgery, treatment simulations, and clinical practice. The trainees also experienced in person a series of ultrasound therapeutic devices with complete and independent Chinese intellectual property rights, including the Haifu Focused Ultrasound Tumor Therapeutic System. Through this Training Workshop, the trainees have a comprehensive understanding of Focused Ultrasound Surgery, which places the foundation for their future involvement in this field and for the dissemination and application of this noninvasive therapeutic technology in their countries.
“Most patients had large myoma when they went to the hospital for examinations, and almost half of them would have to remove their uterus because of no other choices”, Said, Dr. Tshimane Charles Tshepuwane, the delegate from South Africa. During his over 10 years of gynecological experience, the biggest myoma he had ever treated was as big as the 36-week pregnancy. Removal of the uterus imposes a great impact on the physical and mental health of the women. Focused Ultrasound Surgery can improve the abovementioned situation, reducing surgical operations and relieving the tensions stemming from the lack of medical resources.
Since 2012, Chongqing Medical University has organized 7 sessions of International Training Workshop on Ultrasound Therapy for Tumors under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Science and Technology of PRC successively in China, Egypt, South Africa.
“Chongqing Medical University has made the breakthrough in Focused Ultrasound Surgery in the first place”, said, Mr. Xiaoyun Mu, the vice director of Chongqing Science and Technology Bureau. The 7 sessions of Workshop have trained 149 well-known clinicians from about 40 countries including South Africa, Philippines, Egypt, Spain, India, Ghana, etc., receiving wide praise and contributing prominently to the development and dissemination of Focused Ultrasound Surgery. Chongqing, the only municipality directly under the Chinese central government in the mid-west of China, is located at the critical juncture of “One Belt and One Road Initiative” and Yangtze River Economy Zone. Chongqing Science and Technology Bureau shall strengthen the scientific exchanges and cooperation among the countries of “One Belt and One Road Initiative” and vigorously promote the innovation and development of the emerging sectors of strategic importance including AI, Bio-medicine, etc.
“At present, Focused Ultrasound Surgery is not a simple innovative technology for tumors but being developed as an emerging medical industry covering malignant and benign tumors and non-neoplastic diseases”, introduced, Prof. Guanghui Wei, Deputy Secretary of the Communist Party of China of Chongqing Medical University. The focused ultrasound therapeutic devices innovated by the research team from Chongqing, China which have the complete independent intelligence rights have been exported to 25 countries and regions including Germany, UK, Italy, Russia, Japan, Korea, Egypt, and South Africa, etc., implying the leading position of China in the scientific research in and clinical application of the minimally invasive and noninvasive medicine represented by Focused Ultrasound Surgery.