By Ma. Teresa Montemayor
MANILA – The Chinese General Hospital and Medical Center (CGHMC) and Shanghai’s Renji Hospital conducted a successful liver transplant for a two-year-old boy from Malabon.
Nieco Vince Vasquez received liver from his father, Herdie, through a surgery on Feb. 11, according to a news release from the Chinese Embassy in Manila.
He was diagnosed with biliary atresia, a rare and life-threatening liver disease that occurs among infants when bile ducts are blocked.
He underwent screening and assessment process before being approved for a liver transplant.
Renji Hospital president Qiang Xia led the procedure with a medical team from CGHMC.
“This pioneering partnership between Renji Hospital, affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and CGHMC serves as a cornerstone for fostering deeper bilateral ties in medical science,” he said during a celebratory gathering at Renji Hospital on Monday.
CGHMC medical director Samuel Ang said the collaboration is part of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on medical cooperation signed by both hospitals in May 2024.
The MOU covers physician training, technological exchange, and clinical collaboration. The CGHMC had already sent two batches of doctors to Renji Hospital for professional training.
The first group of six doctors, specializing in surgery and anesthesiology, focused on enhancing their skills in liver transplantation.
The second batch, composed of eight doctors, accompanied the patient and specialized in pediatric liver transplant surgery, pediatric anesthesia and pediatric critical care.
PH-China relations
At the same event, Philippine Ambassador to China Jaime FlorCruz said the surgery was a “delightful coincidence” as 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and China.
“Nieco Vince’s story is a testimony to the longstanding cooperation between the Philippines and China, in this case, demonstrated by the strong professional linkages between the Renji Hospital and Philippine Chinese General Hospital,” FlorCruz said.
He emphasized the importance of exploring the fields of medicine and medical technology between the two countries.
“The Philippines has an established reputation of producing top professionals in the medical field, including doctors and nurses, while China remains on the cutting edge of advanced medical research and technology and the use of smart infrastructure to support the efficient operations of large hospitals like Renji Hospital,” he said.
The CGHMC, Mindray, and Philmed Dynasty Corporation sponsored the surgical costs, hospitalization, travel expenses, and post-operative rehabilitation.
Kaisa Para sa Kaunlaran Foundation president Teresita Ang-See took care of the visa applications and necessary documentation for the Vasquez family.
Board of the Philippines Chinese Charitable Association chair Antonio Tan Association represented the Filipino groups which helped facilitate the liver transplant. (PNA)
