Alliance for Pediatric Rescue and Transfer Launched in Guangdong

A new alliance dedicated to pediatric rescue and transfer has been established in Guangdong province, along with its neighboring regions, Hong Kong and Macao. The launch took place in Guangzhou and features an initial collaboration of 38 hospitals, including the Hong Kong Children's Hospital and the Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, which spearheaded the initiative.

This alliance is designed to pool resources and streamline their allocation, according to Zhou Wenhao, the president of the Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center. A key objective is to establish a robust network for pediatric rescues and transfers that utilizes air, sea, and land transportation in a coordinated and standardized manner.

The partnership will enable better cooperation in critical areas such as transferring severely ill children, emergency rescues, organ transfers, and transporting essential medical resources. Plans are in place to develop relevant regulations and create a management platform for the alliance, with the hope of increasing the number of participating hospitals.

The practice of transferring child patients at the Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center dates back to 1998, with 2,629 transfer cases recorded last year. These patient transfers have connected medical facilities across eight provinces, as well as the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region and Macao. Notably, since 2021, there have been 14 cases involving ECMO, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support, highlighting the center’s advanced medical capabilities.