中文
In the next three years, China will carry out 2,000 free cataract operations for SCO member states and provide 5,000 human resources training opportunities for them.
— Chinese President Xi Jinping, at the 22nd Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, September 2022
I
On the afternoon of April 3, 2023, a farewell ceremony took place in Room 307 of the Teaching and Research Building at Peking University People's Hospital. The event was held to send off seven medical staff members from the hospital who would form a medical team traveling to Uzbekistan as part of the "Lifeline Express" program.
Professor Bao Yongzhen, an ophthalmology expert and the team leader of this medical team, introduced the background of the initiative: In September 2022, at the 22nd Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that "in the next three years, China will provide 2,000 free cataract surgeries for the people of SCO countries". To keep President Xi's commitment, the National Health Commission selected a medical team from Peking University People's Hospital to travel to Uzbekistan to carry out the "Lifeline Express" program. Their mission was to provide free cataract surgeries to 500 local patients and help establish a China-Uzbekistan Cooperation Center for Blindness Prevention.
When Professor Bao concluded her his briefing, a silence settled over the room. While the team members already understood the mission's background and were experts in cataract surgeries, and some of them had been involved in previous "Lifeline Express" missions, they fully recognized the significance of this trip. It was more than a medical task; the mission was closely connected to the realization of a high-level diplomatic commitment and came with a noble responsibility. As the significance of that mission dawned on everyone, the weight of the responsibility ahead became palpable.
The hospital leadership took the opportunity to offer words of encouragement: "That Peking University People's Hospital has been entrusted with this major mission reflects the Party and the country's trust in the hospital and each of you. You are all the technical backbones of our institution, and the hospital will stand firmly behind you. We hope you will work together in solidarity and complete the task successfully, demonstrating China's image of a responsible major country that actively contributes to building a community of health for all within the SCO."
The medical team members all expressed their firm commitment to the mission and to completing the tasks with excellence. The atmosphere in the room grew livelier as everyone spoke about the work to come, their hearts already leaping ahead to the operating rooms thousands of kilometers away in a foreign land.
A week later, the medical team departed for Uzbekistan, carrying with them aspiration, hope, and a deep sense of purpose.
II
For most members of the medical team, Uzbekistan was no stranger. Back in 2019, they had traveled to Samarkand and the capital city, Tashkent, to carry out the "Lifeline Express" program. This time, in addition to returning to Samarkand, they would also head to the country's third-largest city, Bukhara.
Upon learning that the Chinese medical team was coming, local residents flocked to the hospital early in anticipation. The corridors were filled with patients waiting for their appointments. In the crowd, Professor Bao immediately recognized a pair of siblings. The older sister was dressed in a red-and-white ethnic-style dress, while the younger brother wore a handsome black suit. Bao remembered them instantly; they had both been born with congenital cataracts, and the medical team had operated on them back in 2019. At the time, the younger brother was only five months old and needed general anesthesia, which had brought their mother to tears from worry. Now, three years later, accompanied by their mother, they had returned to visit the Chinese doctors. Both children had grown taller, but still displayed the same bashful shyness, this time paired with joy.
Wait, a question crossed Professor Bao's mind: Why did their mother also look familiar?
Upon asking, Bao learned that she, too, had once been a patient treated by the Chinese medical team years ago. That day, the family came to the hospital dressed in festive attire to express their heartfelt thanks to the Chinese doctors who had restored their vision. Professor Bao and the team gave the siblings plush panda toys and some school supplies. The two eagerly accepted the gifts, their faces lighting up with unrestrained joy.
On the other side of the corridor, an elderly man named Omon Abdushukurov sat quietly, waiting for his surgery. He wore a suit and a brand-new traditional tubeteika cap, dressed as if visiting beloved relatives, a sign of deep respect.
He didn't speak much Russian, but through a nearby nurse, he told Zhang Xiaokou, the coordinator of the medical team and a project manager from the International Health Exchange and Cooperation Center of the National Health Commission, "I remember you. You operated on me in 2019 on my right eye. Today I'd like to have surgery for my left eye. Thank you for helping me again."
The next day, when he returned for a follow-up, he pulled a pair of sunglasses from his pocket, with the Chinese national flag printed on the frames. It turned out to be a souvenir gifted to patients by the Chinese medical team in 2019. More than three years had passed, yet he had kept them all this time. To him, it was truly an unforgettable experience.
As more and more patients arrived, each with different conditions, Professor Bao encountered a particularly complex case. The patient, named Turaeva, was 76 years old and had suffered from vision problems for many years. Upon examination, she was diagnosed with cataracts and small pupils. Due to basement membrane degeneration, the lens nucleus had hardened significantly, increasing the risk of zonular fiber rupture during surgery. The procedure would be extremely challenging. Out of concern for potential complications, the local hospital seems reluctant to perform the surgery on her, leaving her feeling somewhat hopeless. But recently, her grandson, who was studying in Beijing, told her that a Chinese medical team would soon be arriving in Uzbekistan. This news reignited her hope.
Moved by Turaeva's longing to regain her eyesight, Professor Bao did not hesitate. Rising to the challenge, she prepared to perform the high- risk cataract surgery.
"The patient's orbits are deep, and the pupils are small. During surgery, we'll need to maintain the anterior chamber depth carefully and avoid iris trauma to prevent bleeding."
"The lens nucleus demonstrates significant sclerosis. We'll have to increase the ultrasonic energy."
With steady hands and seasoned technique, Bao used the ultrasonic probe with precision and successfully implanted corrective intraocular lenses in both of Turaeva's eyes.
The day after the surgery, when the bandage was gently removed from her eyes, Turaeva couldn't help but exclaim aloud. Clutching the nurse's hand, she said emotionally, "The Chinese doctors have restored my eyesight. Their medical skills are incredible!"
Little Afruza shows the message on her phone to the doctor.
Another memorable moment made a lasting impression — when Dr. Hou Xianru, the team's senior attending physician, met a father and young daughter. The little girl, named Afruza, was just five years old. She wore a pink cotton jacket, her hair tied up in a perky topknot, her cheeks still rosy with baby fat, and when she smiled, her pearly milk teeth gleamed white. They had traveled a long distance from a small town to seek treatment from the Chinese medical team.
"My daughter has cataracts. She's so young — I don't want her life to be without color," the father said earnestly, pleading for help.
Just then, the little girl picked up her father's phone, opened a translation app, and typed out a message: "Hello doctor, please treat me. When I grow up, I want to be a doctor like you. Thank you!"
Dr. Hou's eyes grew misty. Even the harsh sunlight outside the window seemed to soften. He carefully examined the little girl and determined that the cataracts were not yet severe.
"Surgery is not necessary at the moment. Let's keep monitoring her condition."
Relieved by Dr. Hou's diagnosis, the father nodded repeatedly, expressing his heartfelt gratitude.
Naturally, the medical team cared most was the well-being of centenarian Sutif.
Born in 1919, Sutif had lived through the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union and was a highly respected and decorated figure in the local community. He had suffered from vision problems for many years, but due to his advanced age, the local hospitals refused to operate on his cataracts.
In 2019, upon learning that a Chinese medical team was visiting Samarkand, he made a special trip to seek treatment. After a thorough examination, it was confirmed that he had both cataracts and glaucoma, and his vision was severely impaired, requiring immediate surgical intervention. After a comprehensive assessment, the medical team decided to proceed with the surgery.
The operation was a resounding success. The elderly gentleman recovered well, and his vision improved dramatically.
"I never imagined I'd be able to see clearly again at one hundred," the old man murmured as he gently wiped tears from the corners of his eyes. Moments later, he began to recite ancient scriptures in a solemn tone, expressing his deep gratitude to the medical team. The hospital ward was filled with the low, steady cadence of his chanting; it was as if he had found a spiritual home.
When the medical team inquired about Sutif's current condition, their Uzbek colleagues responded sadly: the old gentleman had passed away. A deep silence fell over the team. But thinking of how he had lived for the light, fought for the light, and departed in the light—they knew he had left with no regrets. Thus comes quiet acceptance. In their hearts, they quietly wished him a peaceful end to his journey on earth.
III
Firdavas is a promising young core staff member at the Samarkand Branch of the Republican Specialized Scientific and Practical Medical Center of Eye Microsurgery of Uzbekistan. Though not yet 30 years old, he carries himself with notable maturity and professionalism.
In 2019, when the Chinese medical team traveled to Tashkent to carry out the "Lifeline Express", he was a graduate student at a local hospital in Tashkent. After witnessing the Chinese ophthalmologists' deft surgical skills, Firdavas immediately called his family and asked them to bring his grandmother from Samarkand to consult with the Chinese experts. Later, he had the opportunity to work and study alongside the Chinese medical team, which greatly enhanced his professional capabilities, making him one of the doctors China focused on training.
In April 2023, when the Chinese medical team returned to Samarkand, under the guidance of Chinese experts, Firdavas completed his first full cataract surgery. He said excitedly: "Each one of them (the Chinese experts) is incredibly humble and approachable. Every time I ask for advice, they respond promptly. Every time they come, they bring tremendous advancements to ophthalmology here."
Later in October that year, he was invited to visit China for a one- month training and observation program at Peking University People's Hospital. During his stay, he gained an in-depth understanding of the hospital's ophthalmology diagnostic and treatment processes and observed a variety of eye surgeries in the operating room. He remarked at the end of his training that the Chinese "Lifeline Express" had significantly improved the quality of eye care in the Samarkand region.
This reflects one of the core missions of the "Lifeline Express": to promote cooperation in blindness prevention and encourage mutual exchange among participating countries, and to deepen comprehensive collaboration in the field of public health. As early as 2019, during their initial work in Uzbekistan, the Chinese medical team had trained several young Uzbek ophthalmologists in phacoemulsification cataract surgery. Four years later, when the Chinese team returned, those trainees were now proficient in performing the procedure independently. Reuniting with their mentors, the former trainees were overjoyed, saying, "The training we received three and a half years ago gave us a solid foundation in cataract phacoemulsification. It's because of your teaching that we've been able to grow so quickly."
In September 2024, this spirit of collaboration extended further when an ophthalmologist from Kyrgyzstan was received in China for further study and professional development.
At the same time, China also dispatched outstanding young doctors to the partner countries to promote bilateral learning. Dr. Zhang Na, an attending physician from the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University in Henan Province, visited Uzbekistan from late September to early October 2024. During her visit, she inspected the Syrdarya Branch of the Center of Eye Microsurgery in Gulistan, attended the Uzbekistan International Ophthalmology Conference held in the Capital City of Tashkent, and conducted field research on the country's ophthalmology medical management system, clinical strengths, and medical practices. The visit achieved its goal of deepening mutual understanding and laid the groundwork for future cooperation.
In the years to come, under the SCO framework, cooperation and exchange in healthcare are going to continue advancing, benefiting the people of all member states.
IV
China has been dispatching expert medical teams composed of ophthalmologists from top hospitals such as Peking Union Medical College Hospital and Peking University People's Hospital to countries including Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Pakistan since 2016 to provide free cataract surgeries for the public and carry out international cooperation in blindness prevention.
Beginning in 2019, the "Lifeline Express" medical teams have primarily been conducting activities in Central Asian member states of the SCO. In 2023, the International Health Exchange and Cooperation Center of the National Health Commission of China dispatched Chinese medical teams to five cities in three SCO countries to carry out the "Lifeline Express" program.
In April 2023, a medical team from Peking University People's Hospital was sent to Bukhara and Samarkand in Uzbekistan, where they performed 530 free cataract restoration surgeries for local citizens, donated ophthalmic equipment needed by the Uzbek side, including phacoemulsification systems and eye examinations, established the "Lifeline Express" China-Uzbekistan Cooperation Center for Blindness Prevention, and hosted an Uzbek ophthalmologist in China for advanced training.
In September 2023, two medical teams composed of staff from Peking University People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, and the People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region went to Bishkek and Osh in Kyrgyzstan. They completed 668 free cataract restoration surgeries for Kyrgyz citizens, donated key ophthalmic examination equipment to the Kyrgyz side, and supported the establishment of a "Lifeline Express Ophthalmic Examination Room".
From May to June 2024, a medical team from Peking Union Medical College Hospital was dispatched to Dushanbe, Tajikistan, where they completed 543 free cataract restoration surgeries for residents.
The launch ceremony of the "Brightness Journey of Lifeline Express" was held in Bishkek. Cui Li, Vice President of the Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation Commission of the SCO, visited and offered comfort to the patients, September 16, 2023.
In September 2024, another medical team from the People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region was again sent to Osh, Kyrgyzstan. The team focused on mentoring and training Kyrgyz medical staff. It carried out 237 free cataract surgeries for Kyrgyz citizens, donated ophthalmic surgical equipment, established the China-Kyrgyzstan Cooperation Center of Blindness Prevention, and accepted one Kyrgyz doctor for advanced study in China.
Inauguration ceremony of the China-Kyrgyzstan Cooperation Center of Blindness Prevention
In October 2024, a medical team from Peking University People's Hospital returned to Bukhara, Uzbekistan. It puts emphasis on training and knowledge transfer. The team completed 209 free cataract surgeries for Uzbek citizens and facilitated the participation of Chinese doctors in the China Pavilion of the Belt and Road session at the Uzbekistan International Ophthalmology Conference, further enhancing mutual learning and exchange between Chinese and Uzbek doctors.
In May 2025, a medical team from Peking Union Medical College Hospital was once again dispatched to Dushanbe, Tajikistan, where they performed complimentary surgeries for local residents, particularly complex cataract procedures and fundus operations. The team also donated ophthalmic medical equipment and established the Lifeline Express China- Tajikistan Cooperation Center for Blindness Prevention.
By the end of June 2025, Chinese medical teams participating in the "Lifeline Express" program had completed over 2,300 complimentary cataract surgeries for citizens of SCO countries. This remarkable achievement has transformed the solemn commitment made by Chinese leaders into tangible reality!
Kyrgyz national poet and celebrated cultural worker of the Republic, Amatov, composed a poem to express his gratitude after receiving cataract surgery from the Chinese medical team. In it, he thanked the Chinese experts for bringing him a "second pair of eyes" and "renewing hope and strength in his life". The full poem is as follows:
If in life, you give your all
On the path of existence, you shall find fulfillment
When, in twilight years, your eyes grow dim
And the world fades from view, how sorrowful that is When the road ahead is shrouded in haze
And all around is obscured, how heavy the sorrow My friends, take care of your health
The eyes are a miracle bestowed by Heaven To leave behind a rich literary legacy
Indeed, I once devoted myself to my country But with age, my health declined
And my eyes grew weaker still
You have the ability to aid those who come in sorrow You bring new hope and strength to our lives
If my first pair of eyes were Heaven's gift
Then my second pair — they are you, my sisters
May you become the reliance of the Kyrgyz people May you enjoy long life, happiness, and fulfillment May you earn the respect due to a father
And may your people be proud of you
