KUNMING: The 2025 China Conference on Holistic Integrative Oncology (CCHIO), held from November 6-9 in Kunming, Yunnan province, concluded as a landmark event in global cancer cooperation, with particular significance for Pakistan through the introduction of Urdu-language clinical guidelines and new regional partnerships.
The conference gathered approximately 100 international experts from 50 countries for academic exchange and collaboration. A major outcome was the establishment of the “South Asia and Southeast Asia Medical Education and Healthcare Alliance – Oncology Sub-Alliance”, with multiple institutions signing cooperation agreements to enhance cancer care collaboration across the region.
Dr. Muhammad Shahbaz, President of the China-Pakistan Medical Association (CPMA), highlighted the importance for Pakistan of receiving the Urdu-translated CACA (China Anti-Cancer Association) Guidelines for Cancer Treatment.
“For Pakistani clinicians, this translation is a gift – a readily accessible, evidence-based roadmap that will standardize and elevate our clinical practices, directly benefiting patient outcomes across our nation,” he stated.
The guidelines, now available in 16 languages, represent a major step in making quality cancer care knowledge more accessible worldwide.
According to Dr. Shahbaz, the conference provided a crucial platform for strengthening Pakistan-China medical cooperation. “We held productive meetings focusing on concrete partnerships with Kunming Medical University and leading cancer hospitals in Yunnan province,” he noted.
“The fight against cancer cannot be won in isolation,” Dr. Shahbaz emphasized. “It demands the integration, innovation, and international collaboration that this conference embodies. China, through CACA and CCHIO, is not only leading scientifically but generously extending partnership to the world.”
He concluded that Pakistan should actively pursue these collaborative opportunities, from adoption of CACA guidelines to fostering institutional ties and technology transfer to advance cancer care in Pakistan through enhanced international cooperation.–Agencies
