Health industry thrives in Hongqiao

A complete health industry chain comprising medical services, medical devices, medicine trade and cold-chain delivery is taking shape in Huacao town in the Shanghai Hongqiao International Central Business District.

The town is aiming to become a health industry center in the Yangtze River Delta region that integrates medical treatment, education, research, production and application.

A number of domestic and foreign industrial giants in the biomedical sector, such as Innovent Bio, Wego Group, and Yunnan Baiyao, as well as upstream and downstream companies such as SS Logistics have set up operations in the town.

Despite the COVID-19 resurgence in Shanghai earlier this year, SS Logistics has realized growth in operating revenue against headwinds. The company also plans to set up a research and development center and a medication supply chain center in the town.

"The town is close to the Hongqiao transportation hub, which is important for our business' domestic and overseas expansion," said a senior executive from the Wego Group.

Convenient transportation also allows people across the YRD region to enjoy high-quality medical services in the town.

"It took only 10 minutes from the high-speed railway station to the New Hongqiao International Medical Center," said a patient surnamed Qin who came from Bengbu in Anhui province.

"I went back home the same day the surgery was finished," Qin added.

The surgical clinic Qin visited occupies no more than 200 square meters on the first floor of the medical technical center of the New Hongqiao International Medical Center.

The clinic consists of consulting rooms and operating rooms, while other facilities that include a radiology department, laboratories, pharmacy and wards are shared resources in the center, according to Doctor Zhang Qiang.

In addition to the medical technical center that offers shared medical services, the New Hongqiao International Medical Center is home to two international comprehensive hospitals, 10 high-end specialized hospitals and a number of clinics.

According to Shanghai's regulations for boosting Hongqiao CBD's development, priority will be given to pushing forward the construction of New Hongqiao International Medical Center and developing the medical service trade.