As the gauze covering her eyes was gently lifted, 77 year old grandmother Zhuoga narrowed her eyes slightly. After a brief adaptation, she looked at the doctor beside her and gently said "thank you" in Tibetan, giving a trembling thumbs up.

This was a scene in the ward of Nimu County People's Hospital in Lhasa City, Xizang Autonomous Region on the morning of June 15.

For Grandma Zhuoga, this means seeing the world again; For Nimu County, which has an average altitude of 3800 meters, the "Lighten up the Mind · Group Company/Universal Medical Public Welfare Walk for Blindness Prevention and Vision Restoration", jointly sponsored by the China Primary Health Care Foundation, General Technology Group Company/Universal Medical and the Beijing Tibet Assistance Headquarters, and supported by the Eye Hospital affiliated to Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, means that a long-term relay on plateau eye health has officially started.

From a public welfare treatment to a long-term mechanism; From addressing immediate needs to cultivating local forces, a sustainable path for grassroots medical assistance is slowly unfolding on the snowy plateau.

The First Ray of Light: The Warmth of the Ward "Revisited"

The wards in the inpatient department of Nimu County People's Hospital are spacious and bright. This is adjacent to the operating room and is the "first stop" for cataract patients to regain their vision.

Li Kaiyan, Deputy Secretary General of the CPC Lhasa Municipal Committee and Deputy Commander of the Beijing Tibet Assistance Headquarters, Zhang Mingcai, Chairman of the China Primary Health Care Foundation, Chen Shishu, Deputy Chief Economist of General Technology Group, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Secretary of the Party Committee of Group Company/Universal Medical, Xia Qi, General Manager and Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Group Company/Universal Medical, accompanied by Bi Hongsheng, President of the Eye Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, visited patients who had just completed cataract surgery to learn about their recovery after surgery in detail.

"I can see! "The old man couldn't help but exclaim after taking off the gauze. The family members waiting by the hospital bed had red eyes. For these patients, regaining sight not only means seeing their loved ones' appearance again and identifying their way home, but also means restoring their ability to work, reducing the burden on their families, and regaining confidence in life.

Stepping out of the ward, the sunlight was warm in front of the inpatient department. The family members of the patients who had already been waiting outside lifted the pure white Hada high and presented it to the medical team who had come from afar. Hadas gently fell on the shoulders, silently conveying the most simple gratitude of the snowy plateau, and also making the warmth of the "Han Tibetan family" most concrete at this moment.

The camera then captures the "Chasers of Light" team that has crossed 4000 kilometers to reach the plateau. Between the tiny images, witness a convergence of light and hope - some come across mountains and seas, while others rediscover the world here; And what lasts longer than images is a promise to protect the eye health of high-altitude people, quietly taking root.

Multi party collaboration: jointly building the "Bright Road" of the plateau

Why Nimu?

The incidence rate of cataract is relatively high in Xizang due to strong ultraviolet rays and long sunshine duration. Nimu County, with an average altitude of about 3800 meters, has long faced practical challenges such as relatively weak ophthalmic medical resources and inconvenient medical treatment for patients.

In recent years, with the continuous promotion of the Lhasa Municipal Health Commission and the Nimu County Party Committee and Government, the medical and health conditions in Nimu have continued to improve. The screening of local cataract patients has been completed in the early stage, and the ophthalmology department of Nimu County People's Hospital has been established. Local doctors continue to learn about the diagnosis and treatment techniques of cataract, and are also actively exploring the construction of a grassroots eye health service system.

It is on this solid foundation that the "Light up the Heart" public welfare project will make its first stop in Nimu.

At the launch ceremony, representatives from aid to Tibet forces, public welfare organizations, medical institutions, and local governments gathered together to witness the official launch of the project.

Li Kaiyan, Deputy Secretary General of the Lhasa Municipal Committee and Deputy Commander of the Beijing Aid Tibet Command, stated in his speech that medical aid to Tibet is the most direct and genuine practice for the people on the plateau to feel the care of the Party and the state for their livelihoods. Over the past decades, Xizang has achieved a historic leap in life expectancy, which is inseparable from the dedication of the vast number of Tibetan aid forces, including Tibetan aid cadres, medical experts and central enterprises. The "Light up the Heart" public welfare action brings high-quality ophthalmic resources to the doorstep of the people, allowing people of all ethnic groups to personally feel the warmth of the Party's policies and the sense of gain brought by high-quality medical services. The Beijing Aid Tibet Command will also continue to play a bridging role, make every effort to coordinate and provide service guarantees, and promote more high-quality medical aid achievements to take root in the snowy plateau.

On behalf of the county committee and government, Wu Jinduoji, Deputy Secretary of the Nimu County Committee and Acting County Mayor, expressed sincere gratitude to all parties for their support. He said that the average altitude of Nimu is high, the ultraviolet radiation is strong, the incidence rate of eye diseases such as cataract is relatively high, and the shortage of basic ophthalmology professionals makes the public's eye health needs more urgent. Eye health is related to people's livelihood and well-being, and the bright cause connects the happiness of thousands of households. The "Light up the Heart" project precisely meets the needs of grassroots, providing patients with public welfare rehabilitation surgery and subsidizing local doctors to go out for further education and technology transfer, achieving a balance between "providing medical care" and "cultivating talents". Nimu County will make every effort to provide service guarantees and ensure that the project benefits more people.

Zhang Mingcai, Chairman of the China Primary Health Care Foundation, stated that since its establishment in 1996, the foundation has been focusing on primary health care for nearly 30 years; In August 2025, a special fund will be jointly set up with Group Company/Universal Medical to focus on the three major directions of "medical and health foundation strengthening project, medical assistance and support, and integrated development of medical, health and health care". The project will adhere to precise policy implementation, teach people how to fish, and demonstrate leadership. Starting from Nimu, it will gradually extend to more border ethnic areas, promoting high-quality medical resources to take root in the plateau and benefit the people.

Bi Hongsheng, Dean of the Affiliated Eye Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, shared his feelings and thoughts on grassroots blindness prevention work based on his 20 years of experience in aiding Tibet. He stated that cataracts are still the leading cause of blindness at present, and there is a long way to go in grassroots blindness prevention work. The country is launching a strong medical and health infrastructure project, and strengthening the capacity building of county hospitals for cataract surgery is one of the important contents. The "Light up the Heart" public welfare campaign is precisely a powerful measure to implement the national strategy. This medical team will not only make every effort to perform the restoration surgery and postoperative management, but also provide hands-on guidance to help Nimu County People's Hospital gradually acquire the ability to independently carry out cataract surgery, allowing more people to enjoy standardized and convenient ophthalmic services at their doorstep.

More than just 'lighting up': building a sustainable assistance system

"The eyes are the window of the heart, and the light in the eyes can make the heart shine." Chen Shishu, Deputy Chief Economist of General Technology Group, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Group Company/Universal Medical, Secretary of the Party Committee, and Executive Director of the Management Committee of the General Global Special Public Welfare Fund of China Initial Insurance Foundation, explained the connotation of the project name of "Light up the Heart" in his speech. He said: "I hope that with the help of this project, more eyes can see the light again, and more hearts can be injected with power!" As the core enterprise of the medical and health sector of General Technology Group, Group Company/Universal Medical always takes serving the health of the people as its own responsibility. The "Light up the Heart" action launched this time is a concrete epitome of the enterprise's implementation of this mission, and is also The core component of the "Ten Thousand" Public Welfare Plan of the General Global Public Welfare Special Fund.

In this plan aimed at fulfilling the responsibilities of central enterprises and serving a 'Healthy China':

• The "Ten" represents cutting-edge exploration: we launched the "Non invasive Sea Sound" project to assist 10 cancer patients from low-income families in receiving internationally leading ultrasound tissue fragmentation technology treatment, bringing cutting-edge diagnostic and therapeutic technology to the grassroots.

• The "Hundred" represents precise rescue: the "Light up the Heart" project launched this time, which carried out vision restoration surgery for 100 cataract patients. At the same time, it sponsored Tibetan doctor Lun Zhujiacuo from Nimu County People's Hospital to study at the Affiliated Eye Hospital of Shandong University of Chinese Medicine for one year and systematically learn the ultrasonic phacoemulsification cataract surgery technique.

• Focus on strengthening the foundation: Through the "Spark Strong Foundation" project, help 1000 grassroots doctors improve their professional abilities.

In Nimu, this grand plan is blossoming - "100 surgeries will change the present for 100 Tibetan people; and a doctor who returns from studying will benefit the future of Nimu for generations to come," said Chen Shisu. This is also the most important significance of this public welfare campaign - not only to bring advanced medical technology to the plateau, but also to leave a "medical team that cannot be taken away" for the local area.

At the ceremony, Xia Qi, General Manager of Group Company/Universal Medical, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, Executive Deputy Director of the General Global Special Public Welfare Fund Management Committee of the China Primary Care Foundation, and Ding Ran, Deputy Director of the Lhasa Health Commission jointly issued the certificate of "Lighting up the Mind of Public Welfare Practitioner" to members of the medical care team. This is not only a tribute to the profession and dedication, but also a record of the persistence and original intention of a group of "light seekers".

From the heartwarming moment of unraveling the veil in the ward, to the solemn commitment at the launch ceremony, and to the implementation of long-term assistance measures one by one - this "bright relay" spanning thousands of mountains and rivers is writing a vivid answer to the "Healthy China" on the roof of the world.

From 100 surgeries to the growth of a grassroots doctor, from the establishment of special funds to the development of the "Ten Hundred Thousand" blueprint, what "Lighting up the Heart" carries is far from just one surgery, one free clinic, or one public welfare activity itself.

It reflects the transformation of medical assistance from "blood transfusion" to "blood production", the resonance between social welfare forces and national strategies, and the vivid practice of central enterprises actively fulfilling social responsibilities, consolidating and expanding poverty alleviation achievements, and effectively connecting with rural revitalization.

Public welfare is never a one-time arrival, but a continuous cultivation. When the first ray of sunshine in the morning crosses the Nyenchen Tanggula Mountains and falls on Nimu County, which has an average altitude of 3800 meters, this promise about "brightness" is continuing endlessly on this land closest to the sky.