In the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of CPC, at the historical convergence of the "Two Centenary Goals", and at the important moment of in-depth study and implementation of the spirit of the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, the Summit Forum on Strategic Development of Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences and the 75th Anniversary of the Founding of Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital was held in Guangzhou on December 3.

Zhu Hong, Party secretary and director of the Guangdong Health Commission, academicians and experts such as Zhong Nanshan, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Chen Xinzi, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wang Yingjun, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Zhao Yuliang, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Li Baojian, former vice president of Sun Yat-sen University, were invited to attend the event. Leadership representatives of domestic hospitals, leaders and experts of the healthcare system, the entire leadership of Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital and staff representatives, totaling 500 people, attended the opening ceremony.

Wish: Continue to be the "bellwether" in the construction of Healthy Guangdong

During the event, Academician Zhong Nanshan fondly recalled his deep affinity with Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital. On the eve of national liberation in 1949, the Minister of Health of the Kuomintang Central Committee came to Guangzhou and ordered Zhong Shifan, then president of Guangzhou Central Hospital, to carry the hospital's huge sum of money and evacuate his family to Taiwan overnight. However, Zhong Shifan resolutely refused the evacuation order and stayed in Guangzhou with his family. On July 15, 1950, he checked off the hospital supplies one by one and handed them over to the PLA. In the 410-page List of Property Transferred from Central Hospital in 1950, every item was clearly listed, from a book to a penny. The patriotism and unyielding spirit of Zhong Shifan have deeply influenced Academician Zhong Nanshan, as well as the successors of GDPH. Zhong Nanshan said that GDPH had a deep connection with his family, and he was very affectionate to the hospital. He gave his best wishes to GDPH, hoping the hospital could build up the Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, play a leading role in the development of technological and medical innovation, and make greater contributions to China's medical undertakings in the new era.

Zhu Hong, Party secretary and director of the Guangdong Health Commission, said in his opening speech that Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital was the leader of high-level hospital construction in Guangdong Province. By aiming at the international frontier and national strategic goals, and taking advantage of the geographical and technological advantages accumulated via the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, it has made great efforts to form big teams, construct big platforms and implement big projects, and achieved excellent results. At the same time, he hoped that GDPH could continue to be the "bellwether" in the construction of Healthy Guangdong and the "front-runner" in the reform of the medical and health system, actively explore the reform of public hospitals in the province and share its experience, and make more contributions to the high-quality development of healthcare undertakings in Guangdong.

"As a member of the healthcare industry, we are glad to be in a great era and fortunate to have a good opportunity for development." Zhou Lin, Party secretary of Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, presided over the opening ceremony. She said that generations of GDPH members have actively practiced the original mission of "People's Hospital for the People", braved the challenges, and dedicated themselves to their career, thus achieving many promising results that have attracted social attention, won renown in the medical community and won the hearts of patients. Especially in the new era, under the leadership of the CPC, the GDPH has found its positioning, aimed at the international frontier, devoted itself to the national strategy, and actively integrated itself into the construction of Healthy Guangdong and the deepening of the overall medical reform, entering the fast lane of high-quality development. Under the strong leadership of Guangdong Health Commission, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital will, together with its counterparts in the industry, advance steadily in the process of achieving high-quality development, and move forward with determination in promoting the construction of "Healthy China" in Guangdong.

Original aspiration:  Spread the "spirit of GDPH” by establishing bronze statues of the presidents

75 years ago, a central hospital was established in the rear of the battlefield. It was a two-story tin house, containing three courtyards. The medical staff practiced the concept of "saving lives and serving the people” with their actions. After 75 years, with the growth of the PRC, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital has developed into a large general hospital integrating medical treatment, teaching and scientific research, with its comprehensive strength ranking among the top in China and the best in South China.

During the event, Yu Xueqing, president of Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, reviewed the 75-year development history of GDPH. Yu Xueqing said, "Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital cannot develop to such a scale and make so many achievements without the decisions and contributions of the past presidents in medical technology and business management. Looking back to the early days of the hospital, President Li Ting'an, a pioneer of public health in China, and President Zhong Shifan, a famous pediatrician and virus researcher in China, demonstrated to us what's the spirit of a doctor. They passed on their belief that "patients' life, health and safety are all that matters" to everyone of the hospital generation by generation, which laid a solid foundation for the construction and development of the hospital. Their spirit has influenced every generation of GDPH members in the long run."

In order to carry forward the "spirit of GDPH", the bronze statues of President Li Ting'an and President Zhong Shifan were set up in the hospital, and the sons of the two presidents, Professor Li Baojian and Academician Zhong Nanshan, were invited to unveil the statues respectively. The hospital also established an award in the names of the two presidents, expecting the award to motivate everyone to make innovations.

The first winners of "Li Ting'an Award", "Zhong Shifan Award" and "Zhong Shifan Youth Innovation Award" were recognized at the forum. Luo Zhengxiang and Lin Shuguang won the "Li Ting'an Award"; Zhuang Jian, Wu Yilong, Liang Changhong, and Liu Zaiyi won the "Zhong Shifan Award"; Zhou Qing, Zhong Wenzhao, and Liang Huiying won the "Zhong Shifan Youth Innovation Award".

Ambition: Build a "national first-class, world-renowned" high-level hospital

Standing at the new starting point, how will Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital develop? Yu Xueqing introduced that GDPH will take good care of every life with exquisite medical techniques, high level medical service and sophisticated medical equipment; and forge ahead towards the goal of building a "national first-class and world-renowned" hospital through quality assurance, science and technology, talents, and culture. In the future, the hospital will "step out" of Dongchuan Road and start the construction of a new hospital in Huangpu District, forming a "one body and two wings" development pattern with Dongchuan Road as the center, Huangpu and Baiyun as the wings.

In 2008, the Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences resumed its listing and co-organized with GDPH. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, GDPH will vigorously promote the platform construction of GAMS by establishing large teams and platforms, and supporting large projects, and strive to complete a number of world-leading scientific research projects in 3 to 5 years. Yu Xueqing said, "The strategic development of GAMS will explore a new model for the high-quality development of public hospitals, and provide support, motivation and sources of innovation for GDPH."

The forum also held a signing ceremony for the cooperation between Huangpu District People's Government of Guangzhou Municipality and Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital in providing medical services. Following Baiyun District, Huangpu District also offered support to Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital to form a "one body and two wings" development pattern with Dongchuan Road as the core and Baiyun and Huangpu echoing each other, supported by the National Cardiovascular Diseases Regional Medical Center and the International Cardiovascular Diseases Medical Center in Guangdong.

In order to deepen the integration of scientific research and the industry, the forum also held an inauguration ceremony of the clinical demonstration hospital as the demonstration base of transforming the achievements made in the Biomaterials Innovation and Cooperation Platform launched by four national departments. The Biomaterials Innovation and Cooperation Platform was established in April 2021 with the support of four national departments, namely, National Medical Products Administration, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and National Health Commission, and co-sponsored by 21 units. It aims to coordinate resources from all parties, create an open and collaborative biomaterials innovation system, and promote independent R&D innovation and healthy industrial development. The Biomaterials Innovation and Cooperation Platform is intended to break through the bottleneck of achievement transformation, deepen the integration of industry and disciplines, promote the development of high-end medical device emerging pillar industries, and truly become an industry demonstration and benchmark.

There is no end to medical research and innovation. The forum also held the inauguration ceremony of the GAMS-Daan Gene Academy-Enterprise Integration Innovation Research Center. As it was introduced, the establishment of the Academy-Enterprise Integration Innovation Research Center would inject more vitality into medical innovation and development.

The forum showcased the achievements made during the construction of a high level hospital by GDPH. As one of the first hospitals engaged in the high-level hospital construction in Guangdong, GDPH has grasped the opportunity and achieved outstanding results after more than 3 years of construction, realizing a leapfrog development: it was awarded the highest grade A++ in the "national examination" of tertiary public hospitals, up to the 10th place in China; achieved breakthroughs of zero in the number of Cheung Kong Scholars, NSF Distinguished Young Researchers, NSF Outstanding Young Researchers, NSF Outstanding Overseas Young Researchers, and Guangdong Distinguished Young Researchers; doubled the number of projects funded by National Natural Science Foundation, which was a record high; won five first prizes of the provincial scientific and technological achievements awards in two years; was approved as a first-level doctoral program in Clinical Medicine, etc.

At the end of the event, the participants joined an enthusiastic chorus of the hospital song - We Come to You with a Smile. After the opening ceremony, the Summit Forum on Strategic Development of Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences and the 75th Anniversary of the Founding of Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital officially kicked off, accompanied with a series of academic activities.