Good Deeds in China Reaches Zhaotong, Yunnan to Strengthen Thalassemia Prevention and Care

Good Deeds in China Reaches Zhaotong, Yunnan to Strengthen Thalassemia Prevention and Care

On July 5, 2025, the twelfth stop of the Beijing Jingyan Foundation’s Good Deeds in China series was officially launched in Zhaotong, Yunnan. The event was jointly organized by the Zhaotong Municipal Health Commission, Beijing Jingyan Foundation, and Yunnan First People’s Hospital, and hosted by the Northeast Yunnan Central Hospital. Through expert training, free clinics, and public education, the initiative aims to enhance thalassemia prevention and treatment capabilities in Zhaotong, bringing hope to local children affected by thalassemia and their families.

During the event, the expert team from Yunnan First People’s Hospital provided thalassemia diagnosis and treatment training to more than 240 local healthcare workers. They also offered one-on-one medical consultations for 19 children with thalassemia, conducted free genetic testing for four children, and performed HLA matching tests for three families.

Zhaotong Under the Shadow of Thalassemia: A Pressing Health Challenge

Thalassemia is an inherited hemolytic anemia caused by mutations or deletions in the genes encoding globin chains. The World Health Organization lists it among the six most common genetic disorders that pose a serious threat to human health. Globally, there are approximately 345 million thalassemia gene carriers, with over 30 million in China. Among them, around 300,000 individuals are classified as having intermediate or severe thalassemia. In mainland China, high-incidence areas are mainly concentrated in southern provinces such as Guangxi, Guangdong, Fujian, and Yunnan.

Yunnan Province is one of China’s ten high-incidence regions for thalassemia. Zhaotong is located in the northeastern edge of Yunnan within the Wumeng Mountains at the junction of Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan provinces, facing significant challenges. Limited by geography and economic conditions, local medical resources are relatively scarce. Many thalassemia-affected families struggle under the long-term financial burden of treatment, while grassroots healthcare workers often lack up-to-date knowledge of advanced diagnostic techniques and standardized treatment protocols. As a result, thalassemia prevention and treatment in Zhaotong faces considerable difficulties, urgently requiring support and intervention from all sectors of society.

According to rough statistics, since 2020, Beijing Jingyan Foundation has sponsored 15 thalassemia-affected children from Zhaotong to undergo stem cell transplantation, with a total funding exceeding 600,000 yuan. However, some severe cases have still been unable to receive timely treatment due to financial constraints or limited access to information.

Good Deeds in China Zhaotong Station: Training and Free Clinic Run in Parallel

In July 2025, Beijing Jingyan Foundation led an expert team from Yunnan First People’s Hospital to Zhaotong, officially launching the Zhaotong station of the Good Deeds in China series. This marks the twelfth stop of the series and the fifth time the initiative has been held in Yunnan.

On the morning of July 5, a training course on the diagnosis and treatment of severe thalassemia commenced at the Northeast Yunnan Regional Medical Center. The expert team from Yunnan First People’s Hospital provided a systematic overview of thalassemia, covering its current status, diagnosis, treatment, and transplantation techniques, with a particular focus on addressing the challenging cases and questions encountered by primary-level doctors in clinical practice.

Before the training began, more than 160 local primary-level doctors had registered, and many others spontaneously came after hearing about the session. In the end, over 240 doctors attended. The atmosphere was lively, with participants listening attentively and asking questions actively. Even after the course concluded, many doctors stayed behind to consult the experts directly, while numerous others engaged in discussions through the online group created for the event. One attending doctor remarked, “This training was extremely timely and useful. It gave me a much deeper understanding of thalassemia and has made me more confident in treating patients in the future.”

On the afternoon of July 5, a free clinic was held at the Northeast Yunnan Regional Medical Center. More than 20 families of thalassemia patients attended for multidisciplinary consultations. At the event, experts conducted thorough examinations and assessments for each patient and provided personalized treatment recommendations based on their specific conditions. They patiently answered questions from patients and their families, offering psychological support and health guidance to help them better cope with the challenges posed by the disease.

At the event, the Jingyan Foundation also provided free genetic testing for four children, free donor matching for three families, and reproductive preservation consultations for nine individuals. For patients meeting the Building Love for Thalassemia Action project’s assistance criteria, the Foundation will provide support for their transplantation procedures.

According to the event schedule, over the following days, Beijing Jingyan Foundation staff and volunteers will visit towns and villages across Zhaotong, conducting on-site visits to meet thalassemia patients and understand the specific needs of the children and their families.

Jingyan’s Comprehensive Approach to Thalassemia Prevention: from Treatment to Prevention

As one of China’s earliest public welfare organizations focused on thalassemia, Beijing Jingyan Foundation has, since launching the Building Love for Thalassemia Action project in 2018, established partnerships with nearly 30 leading hospitals, creating a medical network covering top-tier transplant centers nationwide. To date, the Foundation has funded over 1,600 thalassemia patients to receive hematopoietic stem cell transplants and post-operative care, providing nearly 61 million yuan in direct assistance.

In 2023, building on years of dedicated public welfare work in thalassemia relief, the Jingyan Foundation officially launched the Zero Thalassemia Plan. The Foundation began direct collaboration with local governments in high-incidence regions, providing comprehensive support—including funding and technical assistance—through a dual-track strategy of “assisting existing patients and preventing new cases” to help implement local thalassemia prevention and control policies. At the same time, the Foundation launched the Good Deeds in China series of activities, mobilizing top-tier medical resources to high-incidence areas to conduct free clinics and screenings, as well as training programs for grassroots medical staff, promoting systematic learning of thalassemia prevention and treatment among local doctors.

Zhaotong is a key stop in the Good Deeds in China series. The Beijing Jingyan Foundation not only provides urgent assistance to local children with thalassemia, but also helps establish a long-term prevention and treatment system in the region. Following this event, the Foundation will continue its collaboration with the Zhaotong Municipal Health Commission to assess the local thalassemia patient population, organize further medical resources for free clinics, and support the creation of sustainable prevention and care mechanisms.

Towards “Zero Thalassemia”: A Long Journey with Promising Prospects

Although thalassemia prevention and treatment in Zhaotong still faces challenges, this event has planted seeds of hope. Through the training sessions, local healthcare workers enhanced their clinical skills in managing thalassemia. The free clinic provided tangible support to patients, letting them feel the care and warmth of society. One parent attending the clinic tearfully said, “I used to think this disease could not be treated, but now I know there is hope for recovery.”

“Zero Thalassemia” represents the long-term goal of the Building Love for Thalassemia Action project and the ongoing mission of the Beijing Jingyan Foundation. Looking ahead, the Foundation will continue to collaborate with governments, hospitals, and social partners, leveraging technology, channeling resources to local communities, and advocating for supportive policies. These efforts aim to help local authorities accelerate thalassemia prevention and control, gradually eliminate the threat of the disease, and bring the vision of “Zero Thalassemia” closer to reality.