Children’s Medical Foundation hosted its 3rd National Neonatal Conference in Mianyang, Sichuan Province, bringing together doctors, nurses, and administrators from partner hospitals across China. Over 2 days, attendees learned the latest on key neonatal care topics from China’s top neonatologists and shared their successes and challenges in saving more newborns.

(Above Left) Dr. Chen Chao; Dr. Wang Wei; David Wong; Mr. Zhang Bin, Director of the Mianyang Health Bureau; Dr. Xianyu Jianbo, President of Mianyang Central Hospital, welcome conference attendees and make opening remarks.  (Above Right) Conference signage in lobby of hotel.

Guifang Li, CMF’s Program Director, details the four key CMF programs and provides an update on programs across China over the past couple years:
1) Neonatal Care Unit
2) Neonatal Resuscitation Program Training
3) Baby Ambulance
4) Save-a-Baby Financial Assistance Fund

(Above Left) Conference attendees listening intently to the information being presented.  (Above Right) Ms. He Jinping, Director of Health for All by All of the Red Cross Foundation, teaches program management fundamentals and provides excellent examples of cultural differences in impact assessment.

(Above Left) Dr. Chen Chao, Director of Neonatology at Children’s Hospital of Fudan University in Shanghai (one of CMF’s key training hospitals) talks about the development of neonatology in China vs. other countries, and presents key neonatal indicators that hospitals might use to evaluate their care standards.  (Above Right) David Wong, CMF’s Executive Director (left) along with Guifang Li, CMF’s Program Director (right), present a token of appreciation to Dr. Chen Chao, one of China’s most renowned neonatologists.

(Above Left) Dr. Chen Juan, Director of Neonatology at Zunyi Medical College Hospital in Guizhou, provides an update on her department’s developments since completion of CMF’s neonatal programs.  (Above Right) Dr. Chen Yanxiang, Director of Neonatology at Yinchuan First People’s Hospital in Ningxia, asks a question about future CMF programs.

(Above Left) Dr. Yu Jing, Director of Neonatology at Mianyang Central Hospital in Sichuan, talks about recent expansion of neonatal services at her hospital, and challenges faced while implementing CMF’s programs.  (Above Right) Dr. Liu Ling, Director of Neonatology at Guiyang Maternal and Children’s Hospital, describes the new building and future plans for her hospital, which will increase utilization of services established through CMF’s programs.

(Above Left) Dr. Sun Jianhua, Director of Neonatology at Shanghai Children’s Medical Center (one of CMF’s key training hospitals), provides a rigorous overview of nutrition/feeding options for premature newborns in critical condition and the accompanying growth measurement standards.  (Above Right) David Wong, CMF’s Executive Director (left) along with Guifang Li, CMF’s Program Director (right), present a token of appreciation to Dr. Sun Jianhua, one of China’s most renowned neonatologists.

(Above Left) Dr. Zhu Pingzhao, Director of Neonatology at Hengyang Central Hospital in Hunan, updates attendees on how CMF’s programs have helped his hospital improve their neonatal care.  (Above Right) Ms. Ivory Wang from Draeger Medical Equipment, key sponsor for CMF’s 3rd National Neonatal Conference, introduces Draeger’s neonatal equipment options.

Conference attendees watching a demonstration of Draeger’s neonatal ventilator and asking questions about Draeger’s incubator, which provides better features and performance than domestic units, leading to better newborn care.

Dr. Cao Yun, Vice-Director of Neonatology at Children’s Hospital of Fudan University in Shanghai, gives a detailed operational overview of proper ventilation techniques for newborns, including high frequency ventilation of premature babies.

(Above Left) Ms. Annamarie Saarinen from the Newborn Foundation based in the US, explains the CCHD (critical congenital heart disease) screening that she has made mandatory in many states in the US. For the past couple years, she has been conducting a pilot program with hospital partners in China.  (Above Right) Ms. Annamarie Saarinen (center), and Ms. Jing Zhang (left) demonstrate a neonatal pulse oximeter module that can be used with tablets and phones to carry out the CCHD screening.

(Above Left) Dr. Chen Dapeng from Huaxi No. 2 Hospital in Sichuan, talks about the complexities of transporting critically-ill neonates by ambulance, and the considerations that must be discussed by both the sending and receiving hospitals.  (Above Right) Conference attendees focused on the presentations, many recording the sessions with their phones as well.

(Above Left) Dr. Guan Lirong, Vice-Director of Neonatology at Mianyang Central Hospital, shares statistical data on newborns with congenital heart disease.  (Above Right) Ms. Annamarie Saarinen, Dr. Su Heng, David Wong, and Dr. Wei Mou. Drs. Su and Wei are top neonatologists from Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center, one of CMF’s key training hospitals.

Dr. Wang Wei, Vice-President of Shanghai Children’s Medical Center, provides a synopsis of the conference and makes closing remarks.

The entire CMF team together in one place for the first time! (Left to right) Guifang Li, Program Director; Alice Rueda, Admin & Comms Officer; Kristi McCombe, Director of Fundraising; David Wong, Executive Director; Sofina Leung, Development Officer; Jingru Liu, Program Officer.