On the evening of Nov. 14, the night sky at Haikou Meilan International Airport was illuminated by the strobing lights of an ambulance. A one year old baby from Mongolia and his parents had just arrived safely in Hainan. As the plane door opened, the child and his family disembarked, along with an escort of medical personnel. Once everyone was aboard, the ambulance, which had been patiently waiting, rushed into action, with bright headlights illuminating the next leg of the Mongolian baby’s relay race for life.

The seamless transfer from the airport to the Hainan Modern Women and Children's Hospital took only 20 minutes, completing the heartwarming first chapter of this highly choreographed cross-border life-saving journey.

Professor Ma Mingguang, director of the Chronic Lung Disease Center of the Hainan Modern Women and Children's Hospital, accompanied the one year old Mongolian patient and his family to Haikou Meilan International Airport. Photo: Huang Dongguang

A Desperate Family Finds Hope in Hainan

This lifesaving journey that has touched countless hearts began a year ago. In 2024, when the baby was born, he suffered from shortness of breath and had difficulties in eating. He was eventually diagnosed in Mongolia with interstitial lung disease complicated by idiopathic pulmonary hypertension. Despite receiving treatment at multiple local hospitals and even undergoing international expert consultations, he remained reliant an oxygen machine, and there was very little hope for his survival.

This September, a turning point finally arrived. The family reached out through international medical channels to Professor Ma Mingguang, a renowned pediatrician and the director of the Chronic Lung Disease Center of the Hainan Modern Women and Children's Hospital. Through multiple remote consultations and careful adjustments to the treatment plan, the baby's symptoms began to show improvement. However, systematic intervention was difficult to implement due to limited local medical resources. To save their child's life, the family made the courageous decision to embark on a 3,000 km. long journey to Hainan.

A nurse holds the foot of the one year old Mongolian baby. Photo: Huang Dongguang

A Detailed Plan to Save a Life

"For critically ill children who require continuous oxygen therapy, long-haul flights pose extremely high risks." Professor Ma Mingguang was well aware of the challenges of this trip. To ensure everything would go smoothly, he personally developed an individualized transfer plan and flew to the transit station in Hohhot to escort the young patient.

Meanwhile, staff at the hospital in Hainan were also working hard to prepare everything needed before the child arrived. An international green medical channel was confirmed, the route was carefully planned, and a well-equipped private ward soon stood ready to receive the young patient. To overcome the language barrier, the hospital sought help from the Hainan International Media Center, which was able to find two Mongolian student volunteers studying at the Hainan University School of Humanities.

Medical experts, volunteer translators, logistical support - an international team joined forces to lovingly and safely transport the young Mongolian patient on his long journey of hope.

"As a volunteer translator in the international life-saving effort, I wanted to help this little Mongolian boy," explained Jin Yang, a Mongolian student studying at the Hainan University School of Humanities. "I came to Hainan from Mongolia last year for school. While translating, I felt a great sense of responsibility, and at the same time, it was very fulfilling to be able to offer help to the best of my ability. When I heard the Chinese doctor say that the child could be treated, I was genuinely thrilled for the little boy."

The Mongolian child's family poses for a group photo with the student volunteers.

Excellent Medical Care in the Hainan FTP

During the transit consultation in Hohhot, the medical team discovered that the child’s condition was more complex than they had realized. In addition to pulmonary hypertension, he also had right ventricular enlargement and right ventricular dysfunction. Faced with this challenge, Professor Ma Mingguang's team sprang into action, developing a comprehensive and innovative 'integrated cardiopulmonary' treatment plan, combining measures such as low-flow oxygen therapy with nebulization assistance to improve the baby’s blood oxygen saturation.

The next step is for the Mongolian child to continue to receive treatment in Hainan for approximately one month. The goal is to enable him to live a stable life without need for an oxygen machine. Once this is achieved, he can be discharged and return to Mongolia to complete the subsequent home rehabilitation phase, which his doctors in Hainan will monitor remotely.

A nurse sets up a monitoring device for the one year old Mongolian patient. Photo: Huang Dongguang

"We are very grateful to the Chinese doctors and the Hainan hospital. We are deeply moved by everything they have done." The child’s father's words were simple but sincere.

"This rescue effort transcended language and national borders. It's not only a heartwarming example of medical and health cooperation between China and Mongolia under the 'Belt and Road' framework, but also a vivid demonstration of the institutional advantages and medical excellence of the Hainan Free Trade Port, which allows patients from around the world to truly experience the 'warmth of Hainan' and the 'speed of China.' Thanks to flexible policies and professional medical standards, the Hainan Free Trade Port is breaking down geographical barriers and becoming a reliable 'new hub for international medical services,' offering a uniquely Hainanese and internationally responsible contribution to the development to a global community of health for all," stated Liao Dan, Vice President of the Hainan Modern Women and Children's Hospital.