On November 6, 2025, inside the standardized cardiovascular catheterization laboratory of the China-aided National Referral Hospital (NRH Comprehensive Medical Center (CMC) in the Solomon Islands, Dr. Wei Bo from the 4th China Medical Team, together with local doctors Emire Meone and Brendon Talota, performed coronary stent implantation procedures on two patients with coronary heart disease.
The patient was admitted to NRH one day ago. After thorough preoperative preparation and minimally invasive interventional treatment, the patient’s condition improved rapidly.
This marks the 10th coronary intervention jointly completed by Chinese and Solomon Islands medical teams since the country achieved its first minimally invasive treatment for coronary heart disease in June this year.
Cardiovascular diseases are “silent killers” threatening the health and lives of Solomon Islands citizens. In the past, due to a lack of professional expertise and advanced equipment, local coronary heart disease patients who needed interventional treatment often had to travel abroad, facing both exorbitant costs and treatment delays.
This situation began to change with the launch of the standardized cardiovascular catheterization lab at CMC, and was fundamentally transformed after the arrival of the Chinese Medical Team.
Through close collaboration between Chinese and local medical professionals, coronary interventional treatment in the Solomon Islands has progressed from “ breakthroughs” to “routine practice,” marking a vibrant new chapter in China–Solomon Islands medical cooperation.
In June this year, a milestone moment quietly arrived in the medical history of the Solomon Islands. Under the guidance of the China Medical Team, local doctors successfully performed the country’s first percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for a patient suffering from acute inferior myocardial infarction. While saving the life of a critically ill patient, the China Medical Team also began a “teach-and-train” pathway for technology transfer.
Nurse Xiong Guobao provided specialized guidance on perioperative nursing for coronary intervention, establishing a complete teaching framework combining “on-the-job mentoring + postoperative review + nursing training.” As of now, the Chinese and Solomon Islands doctors have successfully completed 10 coronary intervention procedures together, with clear progress in skill transfer.
Today, with the completion and full operation of the CMC, local patients now enjoy efficient, convenient, and integrated care — from outpatient consultation to hospitalization to interventional treatment, all available under one roof.
The catheterization lab is now operating routinely, and what was once a “distant, high-end cardiac surgery” can now be performed locally. The words of one recovered patient express the heartfelt gratitude of many: “I have complete trust in the China Medical Team — they gave me a new life.”
Behind this transformation lies the joint effort, dedication, and perseverance of both Chinese and Solomon Islands medical personnel — a vivid testament to the success of bilateral medical cooperation.
“It has always been my dream to learn and master advanced coronary minimally invasive intervention techniques. With the arrival of the China Medical Team, that dream has finally come true. It’s almost unbelievable — I sincerely thank the Chinese doctors for their selfless teaching,” said local doctor Emire Meone-Maefiti, emotionally.
The breakthrough in coronary intervention technology marks an important milestone in the evolution of China–Solomon Islands medical cooperation — from “hardware assistance” to “capacity building.” The CMC’s standardized catheterization lab has solved the problem of “no platform,” while the Chinese team’s targeted support has overcome the challenge of “no expertise.”
Together, these efforts have driven systemic progress in the Solomon Islands’ healthcare system. As Zhao Xueke, leader of the China Medical Team, stated: “The Comprehensive Medical Center not only fills the gap in high-end medical facilities locally, but also brings profound changes across multiple dimensions — hardware upgrades, capacity improvement, and equitable healthcare services. China and the Solomon Islands will continue to work hand in hand to safeguard the health of the local people.”
- MHMS
