Recently, Western Returned Scholars Foundation (WRSF) and the Party Committee and County Government of Chicheng County, Hebei Province, enlisted the support of BGI Genomics and other parties to jointly launch the "prevent poverty, prevent disease and promote rural revitalization" ("two preventions and one promotion") initiative. This action aims to explore a new way to promote poverty alleviation and rural revitalization through high-tech methods, and to explore a new way for public charity and local Party committees and governments to work together to promote poverty alleviation and rural revitalization.

On March 30, 2021, Mo Wenxiu, chair of WRSF, Li Jun, assistant to the chair, Liang Wenmei, deputy secretary general of WRSF, Liu Na, vice president of BGI Genomics, and Liu Jiang, chair of the board of supervisors of Beijing Chicheng Chamber of Commerce, had an in-depth discussion with Guo Xinyao, secretary of the Party Committee of Chicheng County, Hebei Province, Bao Dazhi, vice mayor of Chicheng County, Song Xiaojing, and Wang Aiguo, director of the Health Bureau of Chicheng County, on how to promote the launch of the "Two Preventions and One Promotion" project as soon as possible, so as to better help mothers from families who have been lifted out of poverty to be screened for cervical and breast cancers.

Mo Wenxiu, chair of the board of WRSF attends the meeting. (Photo/Wu Jing)

Mo Wenxiu pointed out at the meeting that the reason for choosing Chicheng for the "Two Preventions and One Promotion" public welfare project is that the leaders of the Chicheng county government have a sense of the overall situation and the boldness and quality of innovation and excellence. Chicheng County has made outstanding achievements in targeted poverty alleviation and has taken strong measures to consolidate the results of poverty eradication. Second, Chicheng County has geographical advantages as a county near Beijing. Through the "Two Preventions and One Promotion" project, WRSF hopes to contribute to the innovative development of Chicheng and to help Chicheng to once again export its experience in consolidating the results of poverty eradication. Thirdly, Chicheng County attaches great importance to the “Two cancer screenings” for women and has incorporated it into the work agenda of the county government. Hospitals, maternal, child health centers and health centers have done very effective work. This has also given WRSF confidence that the "Two Preventions and One Promotion" project to be piloted in Chicheng.

When talking about why the "Two Preventions and One Promotion" project is launched, Mo Wenxiu said that although the prevention of “two cancers” has been included in the national strategic planning requirements, the prevention of “two cancers” requires a lot of funds and the actual needs of the people are also very large. WRSF also wants to make a good complement to the government's work in this regard. The “Two cancer screenings” program is also an exploratory pilot project of the foundation, and the foundation will also prepare for other cancer screening programs in the next step. The organization, layout, implementation and effect of this screening will serve as an important reference for future public welfare projects.

Guo Xinyao, secretary of the Party Committee of Chicheng County, Hebei Province attends the meeting. (Photo/Wu Jing)

Guo Xinyao, Secretary of the County Party Committee of Chicheng County, pointed out in his speech that the "Two Preventions and One Promotion" project is a good thing, not only for Chicheng, but also for the prevention of poverty returning after poverty is lifted, especially the prevention of poverty returning due to illness.

"This is not only a 'two cancers' screening, but also an exploration of a new way of providing health services. Now the people's basic needs for food, housing and transport have been solved, but there are still many health needs for families and individuals. Good health is the future, building a modern and strong socialist country is not possible with material alone, the Party government health services can not be extended again breakthroughs are not possible, so health service model exploration is very meaningful, the party government how to unite social forces to better serve the masses is also very important." Guo Xinyao said.

Bao Dazhi, vice mayor of Chicheng County attends the meeting. (Photo/Wu Jing)

Bao Dazhi, vice mayor of Chicheng County then introduced the county-wide“Two cancer screenings” program for women of the appropriate age. Since 2012, Chicheng County has been implementing the“Two cancer screenings” program for rural women by the maternal and child health centers, with two types of screening, namely screening at the maternal and child health centers on the initiative of the examinees and screening in the countryside by medical staff. The screening is targeted mainly at rural women aged 35 to 64 years old who are resident in Chicheng County. With the cooperation of the health centers in each township, a village-by-village survey and mapping is carried out to register women of the relevant age who are eligible for screening, insisting on no omissions, no errors and no estimates to ensure the accuracy of the "two cancers" screening base. The next step will be to do a good job of regular prevention and control and vaccination of all staff, on the basis of which the “Two cancer screenings” program will be carried out with all efforts.

Liu Na, vice president of BGI Genomics attends the meeting. (Photo/Wu Jing)

Liu Na, vice president of BGI Genomics, said that BGI Genomics will continue to contribute to promote Chinese women away from cervical cancer and breast cancer. Speaking about breast cancer screening, Liu Na said, "Breast cancer has a huge impact on women's physical and mental health, and early screening is necessary and important to prevent breast cancer."

Liu Na hopes that the "Two Preventions and One Promotion" public welfare project can effectively help women in Chicheng County to prevent cervical and breast cancer, and help Chicheng County to play an active role in avoiding poverty due to illness, and become a model and benchmark for consolidating the results of poverty eradication.

Leaders of the WRSF, BGI Genomics and Chicheng county inspecting the status of "two cancers" screening in Chicheng County Hospital. (Photo/Wu Jing)

Leaders of the WRSF, BGI Genomics and Chicheng county inspecting the status of "two cancers" screening in maternal and child health center. (Photo/Wu Jing)