Three days in Shanghai: A surgeon's discovery

I came to Shanghai with my UCSI Hospital team for a study tour. We wanted to see what the city is doing in medical technology, oncology, and nuclear medicine. Over three days, we visited hospitals, research centers, and medical tech companies. But Shanghai gave us more than briefings and tours.

We arrived on the evening of September 6. After dinner, we visited Yuyuan Garden. It's a historic gem tucked right in the city center. Despite the crowds, the garden retains a quiet, peaceful ambiance. Winding paths, pavilions, temples, rock formations, classic palace-style architecture. The lighting in the evening transforms it into something magical.

The next morning, I greeted the day with a power-walk along Nanjing Road. 5.5 kilometers, from one end to the other, keeping a brisk pace eastward toward the Bund. The view of the Huangpu River and Pudong's skyline opened up. It was more than just a workout — it felt like a journey through Shanghai's past, present, and future.

Then we got to work.

We visited United Imaging Healthcare's global headquarters in Jiading. Mr Hong Miao, senior vice-president, received us. We had an executive briefing, a product showcase, and an R&D walkthrough focused on nuclear medicine and oncology care. Shanghai's rapid progress exceeded our expectations. I hope United Imaging will intensify efforts to make Malaysia a key clinical research hub in the Asia-Pacific, offering affordable diagnostic and therapeutic solutions for cancer care.

Later that afternoon, we toured their AI Medical Research Center in Pudong. Their AI Oncology Solutions platform features 12 applications for cancer screening and analysis. The system generates reports in seconds with over 90 percent accuracy. Their thoracic and cardiothoracic solutions deliver thorough risk assessments. Lower cost, faster turnaround, better efficiency. AI technology is here today — and it will be in our health system in time.

That evening, we took a dinner cruise on the Huangpu River. Gliding past the Bund, the Oriental Pearl Tower, the Shanghai Tower — all brilliantly illuminated. Radiant lights, shimmering waters. A different kind of magic after dark.

Day three started with a visit to Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University.

What an incredibly insightful and productive morning we experienced during our in-depth tour of the nuclear medicine department. We were truly impressed by their cutting-edge imaging systems, specifically the latest-generation PET/CT and PET/MR scanners which represent the absolute forefront of molecular diagnostics.

The image quality they demonstrated was nothing short of remarkable. The exceptional spatial resolution and contrast clarity highlight the technical superiority of the equipment and underscore the department's commitment to achieving unparalleled diagnostic precision in imaging and oncology care.

We were equally privileged to receive a comprehensive briefing from Dr. Hu Pengcheng, the vice-director of the department. He walked us through the remarkable evolutionary trajectory of nuclear medicine at Zhongshan Hospital, detailing their recent clinical breakthroughs, the integration of novel radiopharmaceuticals, and their forward-looking strategic initiatives. This visit was truly a masterclass in how state-of-the-art technology, combined with visionary leadership, can transform patient care and diagnostic outcomes.

Later that same day, our last study tour was to the Oncology Department at Fudan Cancer Hospital, home to the uRT 506 (a CT-integrated linear accelerator). What stood out most was not just the equipment itself, but how they're building research pipelines and training the next generation of specialists.

On our final evening, we found a ping-pong table. A rare opportunity to break a sweat and have some fun. We moved and danced across the court with pure joy. Fierce competition blended seamlessly with laugh-out-loud antics, but the real win was the connection — soaking in the high energy and sharing unforgettable moments of pure camaraderie.

Three days in Shanghai. Old gardens and new hospitals. Work and play. Serious discussions and a game of ping-pong. I came with a team. I'm leaving with a lot to think about.

Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah is the former Director-General of Health Malaysia and currently serves as Chairman of UCSI Healthcare Group. A Malaysian and a consultant breast and endocrine surgeon, he led Malaysia's public health response during the COVID-19 pandemic.