First Lady Aseefa Bhutto lauds Chinese medical team’s compassion, proposes pediatric cardiology partnership

First Lady of Pakistan Aseefa Bhutto Zardari praised the compassion and dedication of Chinese doctors for saving the lives of Pakistani children suffering from congenital heart disease during her keynote address at the Mid-Autumn Celebration, “A Shared Beaming Moon, All United Hearts and Hands,” held at the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad. Emphasizing that these humanitarian efforts symbolize the deep friendship between Pakistan and China, she proposed several initiatives, including a bilateral pediatric cardiology partnership, telemedicine network, annual fellowship programme, and a Joint Pakistan-China Centre of Excellence for Pediatric Cardiac Care. Recalling Benazir Bhutto’s vision that health is a basic right, she highlighted Pakistan’s progress in free healthcare through NICVD and the Gambat Institute. Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong reaffirmed the enduring friendship between the two nations, commending Dr Pan Xiangbin and the Fuwai Hospital team for their service. The event also featured emotional testimonies from parents and children treated in China, while Dr Pan, speaking online, said the partnership represents both medical and spiritual healing.