China hospital: Importing medical equipment from US benefits both sides

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Trade tensions between China and US had eased. Medical equipment makers, as well as patients, are among those expected to benefit. Doctors in China said increasing imports will give patients more options.

At Beijing Shijitan Hospital, a tomography machine was working twenty-four seven. About half of CAT scan machines in this hospital are made in America.

"Imported spectral CT scan machines can improve the efficiency of diagnoses," said Wang Rengui, Director of the hospital’s Radiation Oncology Department.

Wang said spectral CT can show the human's body conditions in addition to its basic function. This kind of machine is very rare in China.

Many patients also prefer imported medical equipment for treatments. The hospital’s linear accelerator machine is an effective tool in radiotherapy. It has a higher cancer cure rate and fewer side effects.

The machine's controller Feng Danjie had seen China's history of importing medical devices since the 1980s. Feng said buying high-tech equipment from abroad could benefit buyers and sellers.

"I think it is a win-win. For American enterprises, it can boost their profit. And for Chinese, the patients are the group who really benefit," Feng said.

China is one of the biggest buyers of US-made medical equipment, and official data show demand from China has continued to grow in recent years. /CGTN's video screenshot

"China's medical market has grown larger after its reform. The demand is getting much higher, " said Tan Chunrong, Director of the hopital’s Department of Medical Devices, "If we want to fulfill the need of the Chinese people, we have to make sure there's sufficient equipment."

Tan called for more research into core technologies to improve medical services.