Strengthening Cooperation through the SCO: Tianjin Huanhu Hospitals Medical Expertise and Technologies Go Global

On April 27 , 2025, at the 7th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Hospital Cooperation Conference held in Xi’an, Tianjin Huanhu Hospital signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the National Scientific Medical Center of Kazakhstan. Through resource sharing and technical collaboration, the two institutions will jointly establish an international neurosurgical technology platform aimed at enhancing regional clinical care and research capabilities, strengthening international competitiveness in the field of neurosurgery, and ultimately improving patient outcomes.

Tong Xiaoguang, President of Tianjin Huanhu Hospital, stated that the two institutions will exchange neurosurgical experts to provide clinical guidance and jointly conduct clinical and basic medical research. They will also establish a teleconsultation system to enable real-time discussions of complex cases and provide remote diagnostic and treatment guidance. In addition, the collaboration will include remote surgical demonstrations and multidisciplinary team (MDT) consultations.

“Our hospital will also assist the center in introducing advanced neurosurgical technologies and jointly establishing a China–Kazakhstan Neurosurgical Training Center. The collaboration will encompass laboratory-based technology research and development, professional training, and clinical translation. The necessary infrastructure, equipment, and supporting facilities are now largely in place, and training is expected to commence in June,” said Tong.

Serik Duysenbi, Director of Neurosurgery at the National Scientific Medical Center of Kazakhstan, noted that Tianjin Huanhu Hospital has extensive experience in medical talent development and complex neurosurgical procedures, providing a strong foundation for future collaboration between the two institutions. He expressed hope that both sides would continue to deepen and expand their partnership, leveraging medical cooperation among Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states to build a “bridge of health” connecting Asia and Europe.

Tianjin Huanhu Hospital has actively implemented the guiding principles of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the directives of President Xi Jinping on deepening healthcare reform and promoting the high-quality development of public hospitals. Upholding a technology-driven development strategy, the hospital has established the Stanford University–Huanhu Skull Base Anatomy Laboratory and the Queen’s Medical Center–Huanhu Collaborative Ward for Complex Cerebrovascular Surgery. As the leading institution of the Tianjin University Branch of the National Stroke Academy, the hospital has established a nationally oriented neurosurgical training center aligned with international standards. It has launched advanced training programs in neurointerventional techniques through China–France collaboration, skull base surgery through China–U.S. collaboration, and complex cerebrovascular surgery through China–Japan collaboration, thereby developing a distinctive neurosurgical training brand under the Huanhu name. In partnership with Tianjin University's Haihe Laboratory of Brain-Computer Interaction and Human-Machine Integration, the hospital has also jointly established China's first comprehensive clinical research ward dedicated to brain-computer interface (BCI) technologies, with the aim of achieving international leadership in this emerging field.

Tianjin Huanhu Hospital has continued to strengthen its institutional brand through strategic partnerships, establishing four collaborative hospitals under its Neurological Center Partnership Program. These include the People's Hospital of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University, and the General Hospital of the Xinjiang Military Command, representing interregional cooperation between eastern and western China, as well as Shenzhen People's Hospital, reflecting the development of the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area.

In collaboration with four specialized hospitals for neurological disorders in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, and Nanjing, Tianjin Huanhu Hospital has established the Brain Hospital Alliance and serves as its inaugural chair institution. The Alliance comprises 14 institutions across three municipalities and seven provincial-level regions in China, including specialized brain hospitals and leading institutions in neurology and psychiatry. It aims to promote the integrated development of healthcare services and related industries while fostering new quality productive forces in brain science nationwide.

The hospital has also established 16 collaborative hospitals under the coordinated development initiative of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region. Notably, it has partnered with Peking Union Medical College Hospital to establish the “PUMCH–Huanhu Skull Base Center,” where several highly complex skull base surgical procedures have been successfully performed.

Furthermore, Tianjin Huanhu Hospital has established a collaborative partnership with the People's Hospital of Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province as part of its engagement with the Belt and Road Initiative, with a particular focus on the diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorders in high-altitude regions.

By integrating its advanced expertise and technical strengths in neurological care with local healthcare resources and patient needs, Tianjin Huanhu Hospital is developing closely integrated neurological specialty medical alliances tailored to regional characteristics. Guided by the principle of “Sending our best doctors to local communities so that patients can receive high-quality care close to home,” the hospital seeks to enhance regional healthcare capabilities and improve access to specialized neurological services.