Heart Sapling Bridges | Yangon General Hospital's Cardiac Surgery Expert Visits XMCH

Recently, Professor Win Win Kyaw, Head of the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery at Yangon General Hospital (YGH), visited Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital Xiamen University (XMCH). The visit aimed to meet with young Myanmar physicians currently undergoing training under the Heart Sapling Visiting Scholar Program and to engage in academic exchanges.

With nearly 30 years of experience in cardiac surgery, Professor Win Win Kyaw serves at Yangon General Hospital, one of Myanmar’s largest public hospitals, with 2,000 beds and a vital role in the country’s healthcare system. In October 2024, Dr. Chit Nyi Kyaw Win, a young physician from Professor Win Win Kyaw’s team, was selected for the Heart Sapling Visiting Scholar Program, embarking on a six-month specialized training in cardiac surgery at XMCH. Additionally, Dr. Toe Wai Wai Naing, also from YGH’s Department of Cardiology, is about to complete a one-year specialized training in interventional cardiology. This visit aimed to deepen mutual understanding in the medical field and explore future cooperation opportunities.

During the visit, Professor Win Win Kyaw toured key hospital facilities, including the outpatient hall, medical technology examination area, interventional catheterization lab, surgical operating room, helipad, and Chest Pain Center. She gained an in-depth understanding of XMCH’s development history, discipline construction, medical services, treatment philosophy, and its cardiac and vascular surgery capabilities. She also personally entered the operating theater, observing the XMCH surgical team in action.

In the cardiac surgery ward, Professor Win Win Kyaw engaged in discussions with Professor Chongxian Liao, Lifetime Honorary Professor at XMCH, and Dr. Zhi Lin, the mentor of Dr. Chit Nyi Kyaw Win. She expressed her admiration for the hospital's world-class facilities and advanced medical technologies and conveyed heartfelt gratitude to XMCH for welcoming Myanmar physicians for further training. In recognition of the collaboration, Professor Chongxian Liao presented her with a personally signed copy of his authored book, Practical Heart-Lung Transplantation.

In the interventional catheterization lab, Professor Win Win Kyaw had warm conversations with the two Myanmar scholars from the Heart Sapling Program, learning about their training and daily lives. She encouraged them to cherish this learning opportunity, master cutting-edge technologies, and apply their knowledge to benefit more patients in Myanmar upon their return. A group photo was taken in front of the Heart Sapling Program Scholar Wall, featuring experts and young physicians from both countries.

On the following morning, Professor Win Win Kyaw was invited to deliver a keynote lecture during XMCH’s routine morning meeting. Her talk, titled "Cardiac Surgery in Myanmar: Where Are We Now?", provided an overview of Myanmar’s cardiovascular disease burden, the current state of cardiac surgery, existing challenges, and prospects for collaboration with XMCH.

Professor Win Win Kyaw emphasized the importance of strengthening collaborations through the Heart Sapling Program, aiming to deepen exchanges in cardiovascular treatment. She expressed hopes that XMCH would offer more training opportunities for cardiac surgeons from Yangon General Hospital, with a focus on anesthesia, extracorporeal circulation, and other specialized techniques to help alleviate Myanmar’s medical resource shortages.

The Heart Sapling Visiting Scholar Program was initiated by XMCH at the end of 2022, welcoming young cardiovascular specialists from around the world for advanced training in Xiamen. The program aims to cultivate top-tier cardiovascular professionals and enhance global cardiovascular care standards.

In April 2023, the program was officially introduced internationally by the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) during the United Nations High-Level Thematic Event on the Global Development Initiative (GDI). In April 2024, the program was incorporated into CIDCA's “Global Development Project Pool”, and in July, it was recognized as an official outcome of the the second high-level conference of the Forum on Global Action for Shared Development.

To date, the Heart Sapling Program has trained 18 scholars from 10 countries in Xiamen. Over the next three years, XMCH plans to enroll 50 scholars from nations participating in the Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative, contributing to the establishment of a global community for health and well-being.