On January 26, 2024, Prime Minister Browne and his delegation from Antigua and Barbuda visited Ruijin Hospital, affiliated with the School of Medicine at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. They were warmly received by Dr. Ning Guang, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Director of Ruijin Hospital, Vice Director Zhao Weili, Dr. Wang Weiqing, Director of the Endocrinology and Metabolism Department, and other department heads who accompanied them during the tour.
The Antigua and Barbuda delegation toured the National Standardized Metabolic Disease Management Center located on the 5th floor of the outpatient building at Ruijin Hospital. This visit provided them with a deeper understanding of the endocrinology and metabolism team’s expertise in diabetes prevention and control, as well as innovative medical technologies. Director Ning Guang introduced the National Standardized Metabolic Disease Management Center (mmc), emphasizing its philosophy of “one center, one-stop service, one standard.” The mmc adopts an integrated online and offline, intra-hospital and extra-hospital, multi-center collaborative model, breaking away from the traditional approach to diabetes diagnosis and treatment. Patients at the mmc can address all aspects of diabetes management, including blood glucose testing, fundus examination, and medication adjustment, eliminating the need to navigate multiple departments and floors. Following the visit to the mmc, the delegation proceeded to the Smart Metabolism Research Center to tour the world’s largest and most influential metabolic chamber cluster. Dr. Wang Weiqing explained that the Human Digital Metabolism Chamber, through the construction of an environmental exposure omics topological network, has established a unique and continuous monitoring system for the human-environment relationship, enabling precise measurements of human energy metabolism.
Prime Minister Browne expressed his deep appreciation for the insightful visit, believing that the Chinese model of chronic disease management, exemplified by the mmc, will bring benefits to a greater number of patients. He eagerly anticipates leveraging the assistance of China and Shanghai to transform Antigua and Barbuda into a hub for healthcare excellence in the Caribbean.
