The "C909 Airplane Hospital" is seen in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Sept. 24, 2026. (Xinhua/Jiang Youlin)
BISHKEK, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- A ceremony was held here in the capital of Kyrgyzstan on Thursday to mark the "C909 Airplane Hospital" charity project.
Speaking at the event, Kyrgyz Deputy Minister of Health Nurbek Bukuev said that the project will not only contribute to providing medical care to the local population, but also serve as a new platform for professional training, medical knowledge exchange and stronger institutional ties between medical institutions in the two countries.
Sun Dapeng, charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Kyrgyzstan, said that cooperation in healthcare is an important component of Chinese-Kyrgyz relations. The "C909 Airplane Hospital" project represents a significant development, opening up new opportunities for bilateral cooperation in civil aviation.
"I am confident that Chinese-Kyrgyz cooperation in healthcare will continue to strengthen the centuries-old friendship between our peoples and further advance the high-quality cooperation between the two countries," Sun said.
The C909 aircraft used in the project is reportedly one of the highlights of the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd. (COMAC). The aircraft is available in various configurations, including emergency response and medical versions.
On the same day, a Kyrgyz woman who had suffered from allergic rhinitis for two years underwent surgery aboard a Chinese C909 aircraft parked at Manas International Airport in Bishkek.
"Everything went very well. I didn't expect it to be so quick," she said. "I express my deepest gratitude and appreciation to all the doctors."
Sun Xicai, a chief physician of the otolaryngology department at the Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University, said the charitable medical activities are proceeding smoothly and all the medical equipment on board the "C909 Airplane Hospital" was made in China.
"This 'mobile hospital' significantly reduces the cost of building medical facilities, increases their mobility, and provides high-quality medical services to a greater number of patients in need," Sun said.
In September, the Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University in Shanghai, east China, joined forces with the COMAC and a Kyrgyz hospital to carry out the charity mission using a medical platform installed aboard a Chinese-made C909 aircraft.
The month-long action provides free diagnosis and treatment, academic exchanges and telemedicine services in ophthalmology and otolaryngology. It is expected to benefit more than 2,000 local patients, with over 170 surgeries to be performed free of charge. ■
This photo taken on Sept. 24, 2026 shows a scene at a ceremony marking the "C909 Airplane Hospital" charity project in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. (Xinhua/Jiang Youlin)
A medical worker from the Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University works at the "C909 Airplane Hospital" in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Sept. 24, 2026. (Xinhua/Jiang Youlin)