Good Deeds China Reaches Tongren, Guizhou: Multi-Party Collaboration Establishes a New Frontline for Thalassemia Prevention and Control

Good Deeds China Reaches Tongren, Guizhou: Multi-Party Collaboration Establishes a New Frontline for Thalassemia Prevention and Control

On September 23, the thirteenth stop of the Good Deeds China series was officially held in Yanhe Tujia Autonomous County, Tongren City, Guizhou Province. This thalassemia prevention and control initiative, jointly organized by the Yanhe County Committee of the Communist Youth League, the County Civil Affairs Bureau, and the Beijing Jingyan Foundation, brought renewed hope to this high-incidence area located at the junction of four provinces through multi-level and multi-dimensional interventions.

During the event, a team of experts from Shenzhen Children’s Hospital provided thalassemia diagnosis and treatment training to over 50 local frontline medical staff and delivered one-on-one clinical services to dozens of affected children. The Yanhe County Maternal and Child Health Hospital and other local institutions also supported the initiative.

Good Deeds China Enters Guizhou for the Sixth Time, Building a Health Safeguard for Tujia Mountain Communities

Tongren City is located in the northeastern part of Guizhou Province, bordering Hunan to the east and Chongqing to the north, and is historically known as the “Gateway to Eastern Guizhou.” Its Yanhe Tujia Autonomous County sits in the middle and lower reaches of the Wujiang River, at the junction of Guizhou, Chongqing, Hunan, and Hubei provinces, and has long been regarded as a key passage and strategic point in the region. This unique location has made Yanhe an important regional hub for the distribution of goods, while at the same time facing a high incidence of thalassemia, a hereditary blood disorder. As a key area within Guizhou, a province with a high prevalence of thalassemia, Yanhe’s geographical position bordering multiple counties and cities underscores its strategic importance in thalassemia prevention and control efforts.

Thalassemia, recognized globally as a significant birth defect, affects more than 30 million carriers in China. Although notable progress has been made in thalassemia prevention and control in Yanhe in recent years, challenges remain, including limited primary healthcare resources, a shortage of specialized medical personnel, and low public awareness of prevention measures. As a result, some affected children have missed the optimal window for treatment due to delayed diagnosis and referral.

Against this backdrop, the thirteenth stop of the Good Deeds China series was recently held in Yanhe Tujia Autonomous County, Tongren City, Guizhou Province. This marks an important milestone for the Beijing Jingyan Foundation since launching the series in 2023 and represents the sixth time the initiative has reached Guizhou.

The event brought high-quality medical resources to this thalassemia high-prevalence area, offering free clinical consultations, screenings, and training for local healthcare workers. It supported the local government in implementing thalassemia prevention and control policies. The Tongren stop also advanced systematic professional development for grassroots doctors, injecting new vitality into public health efforts in this strategic intersection of four provinces.

Collaborative Efforts Strengthen a New Frontline in Thalassemia Prevention and Control

On the morning of September 23, the Severe Thalassemia Treatment Class of the Good Deeds China Tongren, Guizhou stop officially commenced at the Yanhe County Maternal and Child Health Hospital.

The training attracted participants from obstetrics, pediatrics, hematology, and laboratory departments of medical institutions across Yanhe County, as well as maternal and child health staff from township clinics. The expert team from Shenzhen Children’s Hospital provided systematic instruction on standardized diagnosis and treatment of thalassemia, transfusion management, iron chelation therapy, and endocrine management. To address practical diagnostic challenges faced by grassroots hospitals, the experts also used case studies and interactive Q&A sessions to enhance participants’ hands-on skills.

On the afternoon of September 23, the Good Deeds China Guizhou Tongren Station held its free medical consultation event. More than 50 children with thalassemia and their families traveled from various towns in Yanhe and surrounding areas to participate. The expert team from Shenzhen Children’s Hospital approached each family with great patience, conducting thorough physical examinations and explaining complex test results in clear, understandable terms. For every child, they provided tailored advice on the next steps for treatment, ensuring that each recommendation was practical and actionable.

Some local doctors from Yanhe also participated in the consultation, collaborating with the experts from Shenzhen to develop personalized treatment plans for patients. This “training through consultation” approach effectively enhanced the clinical skills of local physicians.

For the children with severe thalassemia seen during this consultation, the Jingyan Foundation will continue to follow up on their treatment. For those who meet the criteria of the Building Love for Thalassemia Action project, the Foundation will provide support for both transplant procedures and postoperative care.

In addition, as part of the activity plan, staff and volunteers from the Jingyan Foundation recently visited townships and villages across Tongren, conducting field visits to several children with thalassemia and phone surveys with 35 local families carrying thalassemia genes to better understand the actual needs of the children and their households.

The Wujiang River Flows with Great Compassion: United Efforts Toward a Zero Thalassemia Future

With the successful conclusion of the Tongren stop, the Good Deeds in China initiative has once again sown seeds of hope in a high-thalassemia region. The activities, including free medical consultations, physician training, and home visits to affected children, exemplify the Jingyan Foundation’s dual-track strategy of “assistance plus prevention and treatment.”

As one of the earliest non-profit organizations in China to provide support for thalassemia patients, the Beijing Jingyan Foundation has, over the past decade, helped nearly 1,700 children with severe thalassemia regain their health through the Building Love for Thalassemia Action project. The Foundation has provided over 65 million yuan in assistance, reaching all provinces in China with high prevalence of thalassemia.

In 2023, the Jingyan Foundation further upgraded its initiative with the launch of the Zero Thalassemia Plan, piloting projects in Xishuangbanna (Yunnan), Luodian and Zhenfeng (Guizhou). Through these pilots, the Foundation has provided financial support, technical guidance, and professional training to empower local governments in building a comprehensive intervention system integrating four key components: funding assurance, medical support, policy alignment, and public education. This innovative model has strengthened coordination across all aspects of thalassemia prevention and treatment and promoted a shift from isolated efforts to systematic governance, offering a sustainable path for high-prevalence regions.

The journey is long and challenging, yet each step is solid and clear. Like the endless flow of the Wujiang River, our pursuit of a Zero Thalassemia future continues unabated. The Jingyan Foundation looks forward to mobilizing more social support and working together to lift the shadow of thalassemia from this land, restoring health and hope to every family.