Bucheon-si and Khabarovsk-si Agree on Free Heart Surgery for Children... 72 Beneficiaries Over 19 Years

A free surgery agreement ceremony for children with heart disease held via the online platform ZOOM. From the top left in the photo: Sergey Krafchuk, Mayor of Khabarovsk; Jang Deokcheon, Mayor of Bucheon; Park Jin-sik, Chairman of Sejong Hospital. July 13, 2021.
[Photo by Bucheon City]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] On the 13th, Bucheon City in Gyeonggi Province signed a 'Re-agreement for Free Heart Surgery for Children in Khabarovsk City' with Khabarovsk City, Russia, and Sejong Hospital.

The agreement ceremony was attended by Jang Deokcheon, Mayor of Bucheon, Sergey Krafchuk, Mayor of Khabarovsk, and Park Jin-sik, Director of Sejong Hospital, and was conducted online using the ZOOM platform in a non-face-to-face manner.

The free heart surgery project for children in Russia began in 2002 when Bucheon City and Khabarovsk City established a sister city relationship, and over the past 19 years, 72 children have regained healthy lives through surgery.

Meanwhile, last month, medical tourism officials from Bucheon City and Khabarovsk City held a policy meeting to revitalize tourism and agreed to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in the field of medical tourism between the two cities.

Also, to mark the 20th anniversary of exchanges with Khabarovsk City next year, once the COVID-19 situation ends and face-to-face exchanges become possible, a joint medical tourism briefing session is planned to be held in Khabarovsk City.

As of 2018, the number of foreign medical tourists visiting hospitals in Bucheon City reached 3,861. Among them, Russian patients accounted for the largest proportion with 1,480 (38%), and the number of medical tourists is increasing every year.

Mayor Jang Deokcheon of Bucheon said, "The free heart surgery project for children is a very meaningful project that gives new life to children, and I hope it will continue in the future," adding, "I look forward to developing a mutually beneficial relationship through cooperation in the field of medical tourism with Khabarovsk City."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.