On the morning of March 30, the "Belt and Road" National Liver Minimally Invasive Technology Training Project, hosted by the Department of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Science and Technology and jointly undertaken by West China Hospital (WCH) and the Sichuan Medical Science and Technology Innovation Research Association, was officially launched. Twenty hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgeons from eight countries, including Hungary, Malaysia, Thailand, Egypt, Ethiopia, Chile, and Morocco, gathered at our hospital for a three-week training and exchange program.

Academician Wei Yuquan of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and experts and scholars in the field of hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery from home and abroad attended the launch ceremony. Li Bing, Deputy Director of the Sichuan Provincial Health Commission, and Luo Fengming, President of WCH, and Vice President Wu Hong delivered speeches, wishing the project a complete success and expecting that through technical exchanges and sharing, the participants would promote the development of medical research and contribute to improving the medical standards of the countries involved in the "Belt and Road" initiative and the building of a global health community.

During the training, renowned experts in the field of hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery from Singapore, Japan, South Korea, the UK, Italy, and China will give special lectures on the current status and cutting-edge progress in the diagnosis and treatment of hepatobiliary and pancreatic diseases, as well as clinical practice. The program includes both theoretical discussions on the frontiers and exchanges of clinical research progress and experience, aiming to bring new ideas, inspiration, and gains to the participants and jointly promote the improvement of the diagnostic and treatment level in hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery.

Professor Ahmed Elgendi, Chief of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery at Alexandria University in Egypt, who has visited West China Hospital three times for this program, said that thanks to the program, he had the opportunity to perform the first fluorescent laparoscopic liver resection in Egypt. "With our efforts, the rate of minimally invasive liver surgery in Egypt has significantly increased. In addition to laparoscopy, minimally invasive surgery also includes robotics, and I hope to strengthen my learning in this area this time," he said.

Professor Fawaz, Chief of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery at the Catholic University of Santiago in Chile, who traveled 38 hours to reach Chengdu, expressed great anticipation for the upcoming three-week training and exchange. "In addition to applying minimally invasive technology to the treatment of primary liver cancer, I also hope this will be the beginning of expanding cooperation and exchanges between Chile and Chinese medical institutions represented by West China Hospital," he said.

Vice President Wu Hong, who is in charge of the project, stated that the 19 foreign doctors are all leaders in their local hospitals’ departments. Therefore, the training also invited six internationally renowned experts from Singapore, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and Italy to teach. The training is diverse in form and rich in content, covering professional courses, simulation training, and surgical demonstrations.

Dr. Lee Yeong Sing from Malaysia said, "In addition to minimally invasive liver surgery, I am also very interested in liver transplantation. I hope to exchange and learn with world-renowned experts through the platform provided by West China Hospital."

Yang Jiayin, Head of General Surgery and Director of the Organ Transplant Center and Liver Transplant Center at our hospital, said that the training is not only about showcasing and spreading “West China Technology” and “Chinese Solutions” to the world but also about learning from other countries’ advanced concepts through exchanges. This is a process of mutual integration and learning from each other’s strengths, which lays a solid foundation for further deepening cooperation with friendly countries.

Our hospital has undertaken the “Belt and Road” National Liver Minimally Invasive Technology Training Project for three consecutive years, aiming to promote international medical and scientific exchanges and cooperation. A total of 76 hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgeons from 22 countries have participated. The project has not only facilitated the first fluorescent laparoscopic liver resection in countries like Egypt and Hungary but also led to the establishment of multicenter clinical cohorts and collaborative research along the “Belt and Road” route.