Senator Christopher “Bong” Go commended the Chinese General Hospital and Medical Center and Shanghai-based Renji Hospital after they successfully performed the first pediatric liver transplant for a Filipino patient under a hospital partnership, calling it a milestone in access to specialized care.

The patient, a boy aged two years and two months, was diagnosed with biliary atresia, a condition in which blocked bile ducts can lead to liver failure. The transplant was performed at Renji Hospital in Shanghai as the Philippines and China mark 50 years of diplomatic relations.

Go said the procedure expanded treatment options for Filipino children with severe liver disease who previously had limited access to highly specialized care.

“This achievement shows what is possible when nations work together for the health and well-being of their people,” Go said. “This is not only the success of one hospital. It is the success of every Filipino who dreams of better and more affordable medical services.”

On 24 February, Go attended a Chinese New Year Thanksgiving dinner hosted by the Chinese General Hospital and Medical Center, where he cited the role of its leadership and medical staff in advancing specialized healthcare.