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ISLAMABAD, Oct 7 (APP):First Lady of Pakistan, Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, lauded the compassion and dedication of Chinese doctors in saving the lives of Pakistani children suffering from congenital heart disease.
She made these remarks in her keynote address during the Mid-Autumn Celebration titled “A Shared Beaming Moon, All United Hearts and Hands” held at the Chinese Embassy in here on Tuesday.
Speaking as the chief guest at the event, the First Lady said the Mid-Autumn Festival symbolizes “harmony and unity,” values that beautifully reflect the deep friendship between Pakistan and China.
“Tonight, as the moonlight touches Islamabad and Beijing, it illuminates the path of shared prosperity, peace and development,” Aseefa Bhutto said. “The lives of our children saved by Chinese doctors are living symbols of turning words into action. No country has extended such compassion to our people in this way and it defines our relationship.”
At the event hosted by Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong, Aseefa Bhutto expressed gratitude to Prof. Dr. Pan Xiangbin and the Fuwai Hospital team for their humanitarian service.
She called for establishing a Bilateral Pediatric Cardiology Partnership to enable joint surgical missions and structured medical training between the two nations, a Telemedicine and Knowledge-Sharing Network linking premier institutions – NICVD and AFIC – with China’s Fuwai Hospital for real-time consultation and joint research, an annual fellowship program for training a new generation of Pakistani specialists in pediatric cardiology and surgery in China, and a Joint Pakistan-China Centre of Excellence for Paediatric Cardiac Care – a permanent symbol of friendship, providing world-class treatment for our children within Pakistan.
Recalling the vision of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, she reiterated that “health is not a privilege but a basic right of every individual.” “Leadership is about the strength of one’s convictions, the ability to endure the punches, and the energy to promote an idea,” she said quoting her mother.
“As we celebrate this reunion, we also celebrate the blooming lives of our children who now have a future,” the First Lady said.
The First Lady noted that Pakistan’s National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) and Gambat Institute of Medical Sciences, providing free liver transplants, stand as symbols of equitable and dignified healthcare.
In his address, Chinese Ambassador welcomed the First Lady and participants and highlighted the enduring friendship between the two nations.
He paid tribute to Dr. Pan Xiangbin, Vice President of China’s Fuwai Hospital, for his extraordinary dedication in treating Pakistani children despite harsh weather and travel delays.
Ambassador Jiang emphasized that the Mid-Autumn Festival, according to the Chinese lunar calendar, is a celebration of unity, happiness, and family reunion.
“Today, we gather as one big family under the full moon,” he said, noting that Pakistan and China’s cooperation in children’s cardiac care reflects their shared commitment to humanity.
He praised the contributions of Mohtarama Aseefa Bhutto in advancing women’s empowerment, education, health, and livelihoods, particularly in underprivileged areas.
“China and Pakistan are not only iron brothers but also iron sisters,” he said, adding that over 70,000 health packages had been distributed to women in Balochistan under joint initiatives.
The event also featured heartfelt speeches by parents and children who had received treatment for congenital heart disease in China, expressing gratitude to Chinese doctors for their tireless efforts.
Delivering an online address, Dr. Pan Xiangbin said the collaboration between Chinese and Pakistani doctors will yield lasting results. “This partnership is not only about treatment, it is also a form of spiritual healing,” he remarked, emphasizing the shared belief in “teaching a man how to fish instead of feeding him a fish every day.”