China Association of Social Workers launches public assistance program for thalassemia

On November 28, 2023, the launch ceremony of "Caring for Thalassemia, Sustaining Life: the Thalassemia Public Assistance Program", hosted by the China Association of Social Workers, was grandly held in Beijing. Chen Cungen, President of the China Association of Social Workers; Wei Liqun, former Director and Party Secretary of the State Council Research Office and Director of the Academic Committee of the Association; Lieutenant General Li Dongheng, former Deputy Political Commissar of the General Armament Department of the PLA; Shi Ke, Vice Governor of Jiangxi Province; Wang Jirong, former Vice Chairwoman of the All-China Women's Federation and former Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party; Su Bo, former leader of the Discipline Inspection Group of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection stationed in the United Front Work Department; Tong Yancheng, former leader of a central inspection group; Zhou Wenzhang, former Vice President of the National Academy of Governance; Gao Fengtao and Liu Shunda, Chairmen of the Board of Supervisors of key large state-owned enterprises of the State Council; Zhou Hui, Party Secretary of the China Association of Social Workers; Zhao Jianguo, former Chairman of China Huadian Corporation; Zu Bin, Deputy Party Secretary of China Huadian Corporation; and Bian Zhiwei, Secretary-General of the China Charity Federation, attended the meeting.

Chen Cungen, President of the China Association of Social Workers, pointed out in his speech that the thalassemia public assistance program is a concrete measure to implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's people-centered development philosophy, a practical action to implement the Healthy China strategy, and a realistic need to promote common prosperity. He emphasized that, to do this good deed well, it is necessary to strictly abide by the relevant laws and regulations in the charity field, give full play to the professional advantages of the Association, and conduct charity lawfully and transparently, relying on professional forces and persisting over time. He called on more caring enterprises and organizations to join the public welfare charity cause and jointly promote the high-quality development of public welfare charity with Chinese characteristics.

Zu Bin, Deputy Party Secretary of China Huadian Corporation, elaborated on Huadian's positive achievements in recent years in consolidating and expanding poverty alleviation achievements, comprehensively promoting the rural revitalization strategy, and actively fulfilling corporate social responsibility, from three aspects: focusing on the "great affairs of the country" to improve people's well-being and demonstrate responsibility; serving national strategies and standing on national needs to shoulder the mission of the times; and adhering to green development and implementing the "dual carbon" goals to promote energy transformation. At the same time, to shoulder the heavy responsibility of the times, China Huadian maintains its commitment to green development, takes renewable energy as its main direction and new energy bases as its main battlefield, and continuously grows and strengthens. He said the "Caring for Thalassemia, Sustaining Life" public program will become a dandelion spreading love and hope, sowing the seeds of health to every corner that needs sunlight, and China Huadian is willing to join hands with caring people from all walks of life to contribute to the realization of a Healthy China.

Shi Ke, Vice Governor of Jiangxi Province, said that the "Caring for Thalassemia, Sustaining Life: the Thalassemia Public Assistance Program" is a concrete action to implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech during his inspection of Jiangxi, and a pragmatic measure to comprehensively promote rural revitalization and steadily advance common prosperity. Entrusted by Governor Ye Jianchun, on behalf of the Jiangxi Provincial People's Government, he extended warm congratulations on the launch of the program, expressed high respect to the initiators, the China Association of Social Workers and China Huadian Corporation, and expressed heartfelt thanks to friends from all walks of life who have long cared for and supported Jiangxi's economic, social and health development. Jiangxi will, with strict rules, a practical style and high efficiency, spare no effort to promote the implementation of the public assistance program, ensure that good deeds are done well and practical matters are done solidly, and live up to the trust and love of caring people from all walks of life. He expressed the hope of taking this opportunity to comprehensively promote deep cooperation between various regions across the country and Jiangxi's health system.

Bian Zhiwei, Secretary-General of the China Charity Federation, gave high praise to the thalassemia public assistance program in his speech. He believes that the thalassemia public assistance program jointly launched by the China Association of Social Workers and caring enterprises is a concrete result of the integrated development of "charity plus social work". This measure will inject new vitality into China's charity and social work undertakings and bring new hope to China's thalassemia patients. He said the China Charity Federation has accumulated rich experience in patient assistance and will fully support the development of the thalassemia assistance program, working together through joint cooperation and coordinated advancement.

Zhang Benping, Deputy Director of the Public Welfare Research Fund Management Committee of the China Association of Social Workers, reported on the thalassemia public assistance program. He emphasized that the fund will, with deep affection for the people of the old revolutionary base areas, serve thalassemia patients wholeheartedly, care for thalassemia with sincerity, embrace the children with true love, and sustain their lives with true feelings.

At the launch ceremony, China Huadian Corporation announced a donation of 15 million RMB to the China Association of Social Workers for thalassemia public assistance, Changsha Wangcheng Economic and Technological Development Zone donated 1.3 million RMB, and Beijing Rixin Jiarui Investment Company donated 1 million RMB, focusing on assisting patients with severe thalassemia in Jiangxi Province and other provinces (regions, cities). To further clarify the responsibilities of all parties and complete the assistance program lawfully and efficiently, the Public Welfare Research Special Fund of the China Association of Social Workers signed a Thalassemia Public Assistance Agreement with the Jiangxi Provincial Health Commission, and signed a Strategic Cooperation Framework Agreement on Thalassemia Public Assistance with Guangzhou Reforgene Medicine Co., Ltd.

At the launch ceremony, certificates of "Social Responsibility Caring Enterprise Supporting Social Work Development" were awarded to ten caring enterprises and organizations, including China Huadian Corporation, Changsha Wangcheng Economic and Technological Development Zone of Hunan, Beijing Rixin Jiarui Investment Management Co., Ltd., Hunan Lingmeng Industrial Co., Ltd., Liaoyang Guocheng Thermal Power Co., Ltd., Zhongneng Runfeng Weiye Industrial Co., Ltd., Shenzhen Talent Valley Holdings Co., Ltd., Beijing Guodian Zhongneng Power Equipment Co., Ltd., Anhui Liwei New Building Materials Co., Ltd. and Beijing Shanzai Quantum Technology Co., Ltd.

It is understood that thalassemia is a hereditary hemolytic disease with high incidence in southern China. Without normal blood transfusion and treatment intervention, children with severe thalassemia will soon face the risk of premature death. The China Thalassemia Blue Book (2015) pointed out that nearly half of China's children with severe thalassemia die before the age of 5. Standardized treatment can greatly extend the lives of patients with severe and intermediate thalassemia and improve their quality of life. However, "standardized treatment" means high treatment costs. If a patient can survive to age 50, the lifetime treatment cost is about 4 to 7 million RMB. The high treatment costs are unbearable for ordinary families; many children cannot receive standardized treatment due to poverty and do not live to 15. Thalassemia children who can survive long-term are therefore called "million babies" or "ten-million babies".

To deeply implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's people-centered development philosophy and serve the Healthy China strategy, the China Association of Social Workers established the thalassemia public assistance program, which has received widespread social attention and support. Through assisting severe thalassemia patients with blood transfusions, iron chelation drugs, and the out-of-pocket costs of bone marrow transplantation within the province after medical insurance reimbursement, the program will enable thalassemia patients from poor families to receive standardized treatment, effectively improving their quality of life and life expectancy, and reducing the phenomenon of families falling into or returning to poverty due to illness.

The launch ceremony was hosted by the China Association of Social Workers, with strong support from China Huadian Corporation, the China Charity Federation, the Jiangxi Provincial Health Commission and Beijing Shanzai Quantum Technology Company. Also attending the meeting were Gao Jianguo and Li Zhigang, specially invited consulting experts of the China Association of Social Workers, Vice Presidents Wang Qian, Zhou Bing and Qiao Heng, Discipline Inspection Secretary Huang Qi, Executive Secretary-General Pan Shigang, Deputy Party Secretary Yu Hualong, and others. Representatives from China Huadian Corporation, the China Charity Federation, the Jiangxi Provincial Government, the Jiangxi Provincial Health Commission and designated hospitals, some social organizations, caring enterprises and caring people from all walks of life attended the meeting. Reposted from: Social Work China Network official account https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/M52rDS5NLtrWyTA7SbsiFg