On March 6, the Department of General Surgery of the First Hospital of Lanzhou University held the“Belt and Road” International Training Course of Advanced Endoscopic & The 42nd ERCP/EUS “Hands-on” Workshop of Western China. This course is belonging to the Technical Training Course for Developing Countries of the Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Science and Technology. In response to the development strategy of the Healthy China 2030 Blueprint, this move is aimed at further strengthening the construction of the “Silk Road of Health,” promoting the international exchange and cooperation of advanced diagnosis and treatment technology and standardized operation in the field of ERCP, and driving the standardized and high-quality development of the diagnosis and treatment level of ERCP.

This advanced endoscopic training course focused on advanced digestive endoscopy training based on ERCP for students from overseas countries along the “Belt and Road.” The training course specially invited Russia, Thailand, Malaysia, Iran, and domestic well-known digestive endoscopy experts (Chinese experts include Prof. Li Wen, Prof. Hu Bing, Prof. Ding Zhen, Prof. Sun Bo, and Prof. Hu Lianghao) to attend the meeting and make several special academic reports, 16 foreign trainees from Thailand, the Philippines, and Uzbekistan and 9 trainees from China to participate in the training course.

Mr. Zhao Jun, member of the Party Group and deputy director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Gansu Province, Mr. Bai Yuping, member of the Party Group and deputy director of the Health Commission of Gansu Province, Mr. Wu Zhiqiang, Level II Bureau Rank Official of the Department of Science and Technology of Gansu Province, Ms. Liu Yemei, Director of the International Science and Technology Cooperation and Exchange Division of Gansu Province, Prof. Li Xun, vice president of Lanzhou University and president of the First Hospital of Lanzhou University, and Mr. Chi Gang, Director of the International Cooperation and Exchange Office of Lanzhou University, attended the opening ceremony.

Prof. Li Xun said that the technical training course for developing countries is an important part of science and technology assistance to foreign countries and a significant action to implement the “Belt and Road” cooperation in science and technology innovation. The “Belt and Road” University Alliance initiated by Lanzhou University undertakes the important construction tasks of the “Belt and Road.” In the past 20 years, the General Surgery Endoscopy Team of LZUFH has trained nearly 1,000 endoscopy-related talents for West China and even at home and abroad by carrying out ERCP Hand-on Courses and “Belt and Road” International Training Course on Advanced Therapeutic Endoscopic Technology for the Treatment of Digestive System Diseases. Through this training course, we hope to promote the dissemination, exchange, and development of ERCP and EUS medical technology.

Mr. Zhao Jun said that as one of the top three hospitals in the province, LZUFH has seized the greatest opportunities of the “Belt and Road” and has established cooperative relations with several internationally renowned universities and medical institutions along the “Belt and Road,” such as Belarus and Singapore, to carry out comprehensive international exchanges and cooperation in medical education and research. It is believed that LZUFH will make good use of the opportunity of the “Belt and Road” initiative, take this training course as an important window for cooperation and exchange to actively expand cooperation areas, and play a positive role in the progress of medical and health care in our province, western China and even countries along the “Belt and Road,” especially the development of advanced therapeutic endoscopy technology for digestive system diseases.

Mr. Wu Zhiqiang said that the First Hospital of Lanzhou University has always adhered to the goal of “high-quality” development, aiming to build a domestically famous and first-class research hospital in West China. In the evolution process, the hospital has actively advocated international exchanges and cooperation, established long-term cooperation and exchange relations with many internationally renowned medical institutions and universities along the “Belt and Road” countries, and conducted technical training and assistance for medical personnel from developing countries and “Belt and Road” countries by holding training courses. This training course will be a convergence and collision of multiple, multi-dimensional, and colorful medical concepts and technologies, innovating new medical benchmarks through the sharing and discussion of domestic and foreign experts and scholars.

Mr. Bai Yuping said that as the China Digestive Endoscopy College training Base, CMDA Digestive Endoscopy Physician Training Base, China ERCP Technical Talents Standardized Training Base, and China Surgical ERCP Training Base, the First Hospital of Lanzhou University has always remained true to its original aspiration and kept the mission of doctors and scholars firmly in mind with practical actions, having trained a large number of endoscopy-related talents at home and abroad, which made successful contributions to the health of the people in the countries along the “Belt and Road” and even the global health cause. He hoped the hospital could improve the internationalization and standardization of ERCP diagnosis and treatment technology through the “Belt and Road” training program.

During the opening ceremony, Mr. Zhao Jun, member of the Party Group and deputy director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Gansu Province, Mr. Bai Yuping, member of the Party Group and deputy director of the Health Commission of Gansu Province, Mr. Wu Zhiqiang, Level II Bureau Rank Official of the Department of Science and Technology of Gansu Province, Prof. Li Xun, vice president of Lanzhou University and president of the First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Prof.Mohammad Bagheri, Prof. Shiaw-Hooi Ho, and Prof. Thawee Ratanachu-ek co-inaugurated the ERCP Training Base for the “Belt and Road” University Alliance. Prof. Li Xun issued the appointment letter of Visiting Professor of the First Hospital of Lanzhou University to Prof. Mohammad Bagheri (Iran), Prof. Shiaw-Hooi Ho (Malaysia), Prof. Thawee Ratanachu-ek (Thailand), Prof. Aleksandr Vodoleev (Russia).

In the training course, domestic and foreign experts gave theoretical lectures on the basic operation specifications of ERCP/EUS, the latest technological progress, the prevention and treatment of complications, and the treatment of difficult cases. Prof. Li Xun, Prof. Mohammad Bagheri, Prof. Thawee Ratanachu-ek, and Prof. Sun Bo entitled Optimal dilation time for combined small endoscopic sphincterotomy and balloon dilation for common bile duct stones, ERCP-EUS, Benign Biliary Stricture in Surgically altered anatomy patients, linear endoscopic ultrasonography used in Patients abdominal/retroperitoneal vessels examination respectively, meanwhile discussing and analyzing difficult disease cases.

This conference not only has academic exchanges but also collisions of new ideas, new concepts, and new technologies. The First Hospital of Lanzhou University will further strengthen foreign cooperation and exchanges and positively expand cooperation areas, devoting itself to achieving more breakthroughs in the digestive system and digestive endoscopy in our province and West China.