Wuhan, China May 27, 2008
The recent rise of China has been fueled by the economic development of its eastern seaboard. Enterprise zones, central government tax waivers and business incentives have contributed to striking economic growth across major industries. Left behind, at least in perception, has been central and western China. This was recognized by the new President, Hu Jintao, as he took office. His priority for the country has been, and is, a "harmonious society." That is, a better balance, in economic health, among all geographic regions.
This has led to the well recognized policy, described as "Central China Rising." Wuhan, a city of 8 million, west of Shanghai, is benefitting from this focus. Wuhan is considered the gateway to the west, much as St. Louis and Chicago played this role, here in the U.S. It is a city whose public and private institutions are now receiving increased resourcing from Beijing.
One of these institutions is Wuhan University. With 50,000 students (30,000 undergraduate and 20,000 graduate), it is one of China's top tier academic campuses. Its President is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and internationally-recognized for his work in remote sensing.
Project HOPE and Wuhan University
Project HOPE has enjoyed an eight year relationship with the University. Its President asked HOPE, in 2001, to join him in creating a nursing school of the first class. It would be one to lead China in nursing curriculum reform, with an emphasis on analytic thinking and decision-making. Its dean would be recruited by HOPE.
Today's graduation ceremony for the Nursing School reflected the success of this partnership. The School has a full complement of students seeking Baccalaureate, Masters and Doctoral degrees. They complete their baccalaureate education in four years, not five, which had been the norm in China. They have their first clinical experiences, in the hospital, in their second year, rather than their fourth year. Their dissertations are presented in English, and twenty had their work published, last year.
By any standard, this young school has been a tremendous success. It is now regarded as leading the way, throughout China, in nursing education reform, with 14 full-time faculty members, 27 part-time faculty, 4 international consultants, 191 baccalaureate students, 21 masters students and 6 doctoral students. The latter two groups come from around the world to pursue their degrees at the officially-named HOPE School of Nursing.
Project HOPE and HIV/AIDS Education in China
Dr. Gui Xi'en, a senior member of the University's medical school, was mentioned in a past issue of Time magazine as one of the world's most influential leaders. The President of China visited him, in his home not long ago, to express his admiration and respect, on behalf of the people of China. He is a partner of HOPE in novel training in the treatment of HIV/AIDS patients in Hubei Province, whose capital city is Wuhan.
It was he who discovered improper techniques in blood exchange, as a cause of HIV/AIDS, in Hunan Province. One of his medical students, from this province, mentioned that many in his village were dying, for unexplained reasons. The villagers were very suspicious of Dr. Gui, when his student brought him to investigate the cause. Fearful that his discovery might create a stigma for the village, he was stoned. He persevered to make the discovery that would change the course of this disease in China.
Today, he introduced us to five of his patients. Their stories were most compelling, as they recounted the appearance of their HIV/AIDS: high fevers--and the inability to get out of bed. Their doctors, trained by HOPE in the use of anti-retroviral drugs, began the treatments that have allowed them to return to work, as school teachers and farmers.
In the region of Hubei province where they live, the physicians, nurses and other health workers, trained by HOPE have cared for their infected patients in a way that has resulted in a decrease in overall HIV/AIDS mortality, from 49% to 8%. This training is being extended now to contiguous regions, where similar results are anticipated. It is Dr. Gui who deserves great credit for this experience.
.............
Wendy Pai Lyle, the new U.S. Consul General in Wuhan, was a prominent attendee at the Nursing School's graduate banquet tonight. Now in her 28th year of public service with the State Department, she has immense popularity in China, from years past. During the Nixon era, there were only one or two means of communication with the outside world. Voice of America was one of them, and Wendy Lyle was the voice for China. In the words, of Yungfeng Zhou, the President of the Wuhan University Health Science Center, "We all, in our generation, learned our English from her." This served as yet another reminder of the importance, and impact, of the "diplomacy of small gestures."
Learn More about Project HOPE’s Work in Wuhan, China.
The recent rise of China has been fueled by the economic development of its eastern seaboard. Enterprise zones, central government tax waivers and business incentives have contributed to striking economic growth across major industries. Left behind, at least in perception, has been central and western China. This was recognized by the new President, Hu Jintao, as he took office. His priority for the country has been, and is, a "harmonious society." That is, a better balance, in economic health, among all geographic regions.
This has led to the well recognized policy, described as "Central China Rising." Wuhan, a city of 8 million, west of Shanghai, is benefitting from this focus. Wuhan is considered the gateway to the west, much as St. Louis and Chicago played this role, here in the U.S. It is a city whose public and private institutions are now receiving increased resourcing from Beijing.One of these institutions is Wuhan University. With 50,000 students (30,000 undergraduate and 20,000 graduate), it is one of China's top tier academic campuses. Its President is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and internationally-recognized for his work in remote sensing.
Project HOPE and Wuhan University
Project HOPE has enjoyed an eight year relationship with the University. Its President asked HOPE, in 2001, to join him in creating a nursing school of the first class. It would be one to lead China in nursing curriculum reform, with an emphasis on analytic thinking and decision-making. Its dean would be recruited by HOPE.
Today's graduation ceremony for the Nursing School reflected the success of this partnership. The School has a full complement of students seeking Baccalaureate, Masters and Doctoral degrees. They complete their baccalaureate education in four years, not five, which had been the norm in China. They have their first clinical experiences, in the hospital, in their second year, rather than their fourth year. Their dissertations are presented in English, and twenty had their work published, last year.By any standard, this young school has been a tremendous success. It is now regarded as leading the way, throughout China, in nursing education reform, with 14 full-time faculty members, 27 part-time faculty, 4 international consultants, 191 baccalaureate students, 21 masters students and 6 doctoral students. The latter two groups come from around the world to pursue their degrees at the officially-named HOPE School of Nursing.
Project HOPE and HIV/AIDS Education in China
Dr. Gui Xi'en, a senior member of the University's medical school, was mentioned in a past issue of Time magazine as one of the world's most influential leaders. The President of China visited him, in his home not long ago, to express his admiration and respect, on behalf of the people of China. He is a partner of HOPE in novel training in the treatment of HIV/AIDS patients in Hubei Province, whose capital city is Wuhan.It was he who discovered improper techniques in blood exchange, as a cause of HIV/AIDS, in Hunan Province. One of his medical students, from this province, mentioned that many in his village were dying, for unexplained reasons. The villagers were very suspicious of Dr. Gui, when his student brought him to investigate the cause. Fearful that his discovery might create a stigma for the village, he was stoned. He persevered to make the discovery that would change the course of this disease in China.
Today, he introduced us to five of his patients. Their stories were most compelling, as they recounted the appearance of their HIV/AIDS: high fevers--and the inability to get out of bed. Their doctors, trained by HOPE in the use of anti-retroviral drugs, began the treatments that have allowed them to return to work, as school teachers and farmers.
In the region of Hubei province where they live, the physicians, nurses and other health workers, trained by HOPE have cared for their infected patients in a way that has resulted in a decrease in overall HIV/AIDS mortality, from 49% to 8%. This training is being extended now to contiguous regions, where similar results are anticipated. It is Dr. Gui who deserves great credit for this experience.
.............
Wendy Pai Lyle, the new U.S. Consul General in Wuhan, was a prominent attendee at the Nursing School's graduate banquet tonight. Now in her 28th year of public service with the State Department, she has immense popularity in China, from years past. During the Nixon era, there were only one or two means of communication with the outside world. Voice of America was one of them, and Wendy Lyle was the voice for China. In the words, of Yungfeng Zhou, the President of the Wuhan University Health Science Center, "We all, in our generation, learned our English from her." This served as yet another reminder of the importance, and impact, of the "diplomacy of small gestures."
Learn More about Project HOPE’s Work in Wuhan, China.
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