On October 26, the South Asia Southeast Asia Medical Education and Healthcare Alliance Health Forum and the 2024 National Local Medical Humanities Education Alliance Academic Annual Conference took place in Kunming, Yunnan. This significant event brought together experts and scholars from 11 universities and healthcare institutions across eight South Asian and Southeast Asian countries, along with representatives from 53 domestic institutions, to focus on issues related to healthcare and medical humanities education while engaging in academic discussions and dialogues.
The forum is part of Yunnan Province’s 2024 “People’s Affection: Education Journey” series, which aims to foster high-quality educational collaboration in the region. Hosted by Kunming Medical University, the event featured parallel forums on infectious disease prevention and control, behavior and health, environment and health, and medical humanities education. The goal is to enhance the educational standards of universities in both China and South Asia Southeast Asia, contributing to the development of a global health community.
Deputy Inspector Lei Tao from the Yunnan Provincial Department of Education expressed that the “People’s Affection: Education Journey” initiative represents an important exploration into opening up education and establishing an educational radiation center focused on South Asia and Southeast Asia. He emphasized the need for participants to build consensus, actively seek new paths and plans for medical education cooperation between China and the South Asian and Southeast Asian nations, and contribute to regional social development and well-being.
Wang Jiankun, Deputy Director of the Yunnan Provincial Health and Wellness Committee, highlighted that the alliance strengthens mutual trust and cooperation through dialogue and discussion. This collaborative approach aims to seize new opportunities and face challenges in regional health development, ultimately contributing to global health governance and constructing a health community for all mankind.
Located in southwestern China, Yunnan Province shares borders with Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar. In his keynote address titled “The Cross-Border and Cross-Species Transmission Patterns of Viral Infectious Diseases in Yunnan,” President Xia Xueshan of Kunming Medical University noted that the deepening of economic and trade cooperation has led to the mutual impact of infectious diseases such as dengue fever, malaria, HIV, and hepatitis C between Yunnan and its neighboring countries. He stressed that the prevention and control of infectious diseases in Yunnan is closely linked to Southeast Asian nations, highlighting the importance of collaboration in this area.
It is worth noting that in July 2019, Kunming Medical University, in partnership with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, initiated the formation of the South Asia Southeast Asia Medical Education and Healthcare Alliance. In November 2022, Wenzhou Medical University, together with Kunming Medical University and 21 other local medical colleges, established the National Local Medical Colleges Medical Humanities Education Alliance. These alliances have become crucial platforms for medical education and healthcare exchange and cooperation between Yunnan and South Asian and Southeast Asian countries, as well as among local Chinese institutions.
