Page 12 - Sphere No.7 (Oct 2002)

SPHERE
10
T HE RETINAL VEIN CATHETERI-
sation Operation is based on the
most modern scientific practices,
but for recipients of the procedure the
results seem miraculous.They have literal-
ly been given a chance to take a fresh view
of the world.
C O M M U N I T Y
of learning with more than 10,000
students and over 1,300 academic staff.
In 1997, it was successfully accredited as
a candidate university for the “211 State
Educational Project” and embarked on
an internationalisation programme to
enhance its competitiveness. One year
later, it was granted approval to conduct
doctoral programmes and award doctor-
al degrees.
The university has already made a
big impact on the society it serves, not
only by providing opportunities for its
brightest minds but also by extending
its resources and expertise into the
wider community. It has launched
various medical projects, including the
establishment of the first and second
affiliated hospitals, the Eastern Guang-
dong Oncology Research Center and
the Mental Health Centre. It has also
built a hospice and provides medical aid
for the poor. Recently, Shanda collabo-
The surgical procedure adopts the con-
cept of “cardiac catheterisation”. By
inserting a very fine catheter into the cen-
tral vein of the retina, and administering
tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) to
revive the blood flow, the operation helps
the patient regain normal eyesight.
The first such operation in China was
successfully performed at the Joint
Shantou International Eye Center, which
was officially opened on June 28.
It is the fifth affiliated hospital under the
Shantou University Medical College – after
the First and Second Affiliated Hospitals,
the Affiliated Tumor Hospital and the
Mental Health Center.
The 9,500-sq-m institute has 100 beds
and is equipped with state-of-the-art med-
ical facilities, providing comprehensive
treatment for patients with various eye
diseases and visual impairment.
As a specialist eye hospital, it integrates
teaching and research and was built
through a 70 million-yuan (about US$8.5
million) donation from Li Ka-shing.
VISIONARY PROJECT