Bringing hearts and minds

"For these remote areas, where medical equipment is lacking, traditional Chinese medicine can play to its strengths, because we can tailor remedies according to the symptoms of patients," Yu says.

According to the program foundation, over the past 15 years, more than 20,000 medical experts from Beijing have been dispatched on 13 trips to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, offering medical support to over 500,000 local residents.

Around 100,000 people from various ethnic groups attended the program's 710 healthcare lectures, while more than 50,000 medical workers participated in professional training sessions, and over 1,500 children with congenital heart diseases received free surgery.

This year's consultation served more than 52,000 people, accounting for approximately 7 percent of Chamdo's total population. A total of 173 lectures and forums were hosted, and medications and medical supplies worth 21 million yuan ($2.92 million) were distributed.

Contact the writer at chengyuezhu@chinadaily.com.cn