[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 32 (Tuesday, March 2, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E311]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SALINAS VALLEY MEMORIAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM--HELPING TO LEAD CHINA TO 
                           BETTER HEALTH CARE

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. SAM FARR

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 2, 1999

  Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to inform you and 
all our House colleagues of the magnificent contributions to 
international health care by the Salinas Valley Memorial Health Care 
System (SVMH). Through the efforts of SVMH, two cities in China, 
Kunming in the Province of Yunnan, and Chengdu in the Province of 
Sichuan, will receive the best in advanced medical training services 
and the best high-tech equipment to better serve the Health care needs 
of the Chinese people.
  SVMH has long been on the cutting edge of technology in Health care 
services. Located in Salinas in my Central California Coast district, 
SVMH has developed state-of-the-art heart and cardiac health services. 
It works in tandem with NASA in using high-resolution equipment to 
uncover the secrets of the human health system. It also has established 
a long-term Health care facility for senior care that scores high marks 
by the health care industry.
  Because of SVMH's expertise and experience, it has reached out to the 
international community to help. China, with the largest population on 
earth and yet some of the most remote and underserved populations, was 
a key target for assistance. Partnering with Assist International 
Rotary International Marquette Medical Services, SVMH will send a team 
of doctors and professional staff to Chengdu, China and Kunming, China 
today. This international team of hope will--
  Donate and install $1 million worth of high-tech medical equipment in 
the Yunnan Red Cross Hospital in Kunming and The First Medical School, 
The First University Hospital, West China University of Medical 
Sciences in Chengdu;
  Educate and train the medical staff of both hospitals on the latest 
technologies and practices utilized by our physicians in the treatment 
of heart-related illnesses and procedures;
  Interact with the citizenry of the community in order to demonstrate 
American willingness to share high tech medical information and 
technology.
  This partnership, Mr. Speaker, is important for a number of reasons. 
First, it is critical to recognize that despite all other political 
machinations between the U.S. and China, there is one very important 
issue upon which leaders of both countries agree: that Health care is 
essential to quality of life. In that regard, SVMH, the Rotary 
International, Assist International and Marquette Medical Services have 
served as ambassadors extraordinaire to unify our two countries.
  Second, this partnership is important because through the efforts of 
SVMH and others, we are establishing a firm working relationship with 
our Chinese counterparts--one that will indirectly benefit the 
relationship between the U.S. and China, but that will also directly 
benefit the Chinese people through the delivery of more and better 
Health care services. In this regard, the Yunnan Red Cross Hospital and 
the West China University of Medical Sciences deserve special 
recognition and praise for their commitment to improve Health care 
practices and their dedication to the pursuit of new knowledge in the 
field of medicine.
  Mr. Speaker, and Members of the House, I urge you today to stand in 
honor of the Salinas Valley Memorial Health Care System and their 
partners in international Health care, the Yunnan Red Cross Hospital, 
the West China University of Medical Sciences, Assist International, 
Rotary International and Marquette Medical Services. They deserve our 
praise, they deserve our support and most of all, they deserve the 
chance to make this partnership a success so people can live well.

                          ____________________