Beijing develops advanced tech and healthcare

Medical isolation overalls are on display at the Beijing International Medical Devices Exhibition in September. CHINA DAILY

With Beijing making remarkable progress in the prevention and control of COVID-19, the city is further bolstering its efforts to swiftly develop advanced technologies in medical and healthcare, local officials said.

During the outbreak of the epidemic in China, Beijing established a collaboration platform for universities, research institutions and science and technology enterprises, for research and development in multiple fields, including artificial intelligence assisted diagnosis, intelligent temperature measurement and online medical consultation.

With the support of the Beijing government, a raft of AI-assisted diagnosis systems and products have been launched and applied in many Chinese cities.

AI-assisted diagnosis systems and products help doctors with early warnings, rapid screening, differential diagnosis and progress analysis.

To reduce the risk of cross-infection caused by hospital visits and the pressure on public medical resources, Beijing launched an online medical consultation platform for COVID-19 in early February.

Encompassing more than 1,000 doctors and five hospitals in Beijing, the online medical consultation platform allows residents 24/7 access to professional advice on epidemic prevention and medical treatment from doctors without leaving their homes. The platform utilizes information technologies including 5G, AI and video communication.

"This (Beijing's online medical consultation platform) provides inspiration for other cities on how to nurture and build effective, inclusive and sustainable urban management systems that can generate high-quality outcomes for all inhabitants," said UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture Ernesto Ottone Ramirez, during the UNESCO Creative Cities Beijing Summit held in September.

Beijing has also made solid achievements in developing the medical and health industry as a whole.

As a major innovation hub in Beijing, Zhongguancun Science City has distinct advantages in developing the industry.

Government data show the science city is home to 27 higher-education institutions and 96 government-sponsored research institutions, accounting for about a third of Beijing's totals for each type of institution.

Zhongguancun Science City is home to more than 100 key national labs and 31 national engineering technology research centers, accounting for 22.6 percent and 8.6 percent of the country's total.

The medical and health industry is among the innovative development directions of Beijing's Future Science City, which focuses on three subdivisions of biomedicine, high-end medical apparatus and instruments and intelligent medical treatment.

The western part of Future Science Park, with a planned area covering 60.7 square kilometers, is home to Zhongguancun Life Science Park.

Launched in 2000, the park has completed its first and second phases of development and gathered nearly 500 enterprises, forming a whole industrial chain of biomedicine from R&D, pilot test, production to clinical application.

The Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area is ramping up its efforts to develop the public service platform for the biomedicine industry－Beijing Yizhuang Biomedical Park.

The park has a floor space area of 178,000 sq m and functions of business incubation, pilot plant test and offering office buildings.

zhangdandan@chinadaily.com.cn