The infrared radiation thermometers donated by the University of Nottingham (UoN) arrived at Ningbo No.1 Hospital in March. The donations were made possible thanks to funds raised by staff and alumni in both the UK and China.
As the UK is currently facing a challenging situation fighting the COVID-19 epidemic, Ningbo No.1 Hospital has entrusted UNNC to coordinate the donation of masks to UoN's affiliated hospital.
Such mutual help is not limited to medical supplies. On 16th March, Nottingham China Health Institute (NCHI) and UoN Asian Business Centre China jointly held a video conference between the Ningbo No.1 Hospital, the Ningbo medical team in Wuhan and the University of Nottingham UK's affiliated hospital.
During the conference, the teams shared practical experiences of epidemic control and treatment and discussed prospective cooperation in the future. UoN and Ningbo No.1 Hospital will co-establish a long-term distant diagnosis mechanism. Dr Chengbo Wang, an MRI expert at UNNC, agreed to participate in the joint UK-China COVID-19 treatment group and provide advice in the area of medical imaging.
Professor Richard Hubbard, Director of NCHI, commented: "The information from China/Ningbo has been invaluable. The CT images sent from China have become the main teaching document for all of the radiology and respiratory departments. This has been gold dust for us to get ahead of this wave."
Collaboration between Nottingham and Ningbo in public health has a long history. The establishment of NCHI in 2018 brought together international researchers to collaborate with health sector partners, universities and industry to find solutions that meet the required health needs of China's population, aiming to drive improvements in the quality, effectiveness and efficiency of healthcare throughout China.
In the face of the common crisis caused by the spread of Covid-19 coronavirus, the international community needs solidarity and cooperation more than ever before. Over the past few months, UNNC has played an essential role as a bridge between China and the UK, as part of the broader international "Nottingham" community.
Published on 10 April 2020