On March 12, 2021, the inaugural meeting of the Special Committee on Heart Rhythm of Sichuan International Medical Exchange & Promotion Association (“SCIMEA”) was successfully held at the Renaissance Chengdu Hotel. The ceremony, hosted by Prof. Zeng Rui from the Department of Cardiology of West China Hospital, Sichuan University, was held simultaneously online and offline.

The guests present included Prof. Chen Mao, Vice President of SCIMEA and Director of the Department of Cardiology of West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Zhang Mengfan, Secretary General of SCIMEA, Prof. Jiang Jian, Prof. Fu Hua, Prof. Hu Hongde and Prof. Liu Xingbin from West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Prof. Li De from The General Hospital of Western Theater Command, Prof. Fan Zhongcai from The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Prof. Luo Yong from Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Prof. Guo Yong from Dazhou Central Hospital, Prof. Tian Julong from Affiliated Hospital of Panzhihua University, Prof. Li Decai from Mianyang 404 Hospital and Prof. He Tao from Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, as well as more than 300 experts with great influence in the field of cardiac rhythm therapy in Sichuan province.

(Prof. Fu Hua, West China Hospital, Sichuan University)

The first item on the agenda was a report on the preparatory work of the committee made by Prof. Fu Hua from the Department of Cardiology of West China Hospital of Sichuan University, the initiator of the Special Committee on Heart Rhythm of SCIMEA. Prof. Fu Hua said that the original intention of the committee is to establish a community of hospitals above the county level in Sichuan, and to promote the overall development of atrial fibrillation in the field of cardiac arrhythmia, so as to enhance the skills and influence in this regard across the country.

Subsequently, all the participants elected the leaders of the committee, including the chairman, deputy chairmen and standing committee members according to the election provisions in the Articles of Association of Sichuan International Medical Exchange & Promotion Association. As a results, the Cardiac Rhythm Committee of SCIMEA is composed of more than 400 experts in the cardiovascular field, with Prof. Jiang Jian from West China Hospital of Sichuan University as the honorary chairman, Prof. Fu Hua from West China Hospital of Sichuan University as the chairman, 10 experts including Li De as the deputy chairmen, 67 experts including Liu Jianxiong as the standing committee members and 366 experts including Huang Shen as the committee members.

Ms. Zhang Mengfan, Secretary General of SCIMEA, read out the "Approval for the Establishment of the Special Committee on Heart Rhythm of Sichuan International Medical Exchange & Promotion Association" and issued the approval for the establishment. Prof. Chen Mao, Vice President of SCIMEA and Prof. Fu Hua, the newly-elected chairman of the Cardiac Rhythm Committee went up on the stage to issue the letters of appointment to the newly-elected deputy chairmen and standing committee members of the Cardiac Rhythm Committee and took a group photo.

(Ms. Zhang Mengfan, Secretary General of SCIMEA, reads out the approval for the establishment.)

(Ms. Zhang Mengfan, Secretary General of SCIMEA, issues the approval document to Prof. Fu Hua.)

(Prof. Chen Mao, Vice President of SCIMEA issues the letter of appointment to Prof. Jiang Jian.)

(Prof. Chen Mao, Vice President of SCIMEA issues the letter of appointment to Prof. Fu Hua.)

(Deputy chairmen receive the letters of appointment.)

(Standing meeting members receive the letters of appointment.)

Then Prof. Chen Mao, Vice President of SCIMEA and Director of the Department of Cardiology of West China Hospital, Sichuan University, expressed his congratulations on the establishment of the Special Committee on Heart Rhythm. Chen believed that the time for the Special Committee on Heart Rhythm was just right. At the just-concluded National People’s Congress meeting, it was proposed to raise the life expectancy of Chinese citizens by one year during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. Under the general trend of social development, the state is also paying more and more attention to people’s health problems and the emphasis on medicine is increasing year by year. Much remains to be done and the path ahead is a long one. He hoped that the members of the committee will communicate and work together via the platform set up by the SCIMEA to improve their own business standards, so that more people can receive more effective treatment.

(Prof. Chen Mao from West China Hospital, Sichuan University delivers a speech.)

Prof. Jiang Jian, the honorary chairman of the Special Committee on Heart Rhythm of SCIMEA, said in his speech that 1991 was the first year to practice interventional treatment of cardiovascular diseases in China, and now 30 years have passed, and 2021, as a point of transition, will lead to a new era, during which he will definitely contribute his strength to propel the progress of this discipline.

The newly-elected chairman of the Special Committee on Heart Rhythm , Prof. Fu Hua, spoke on behalf of all the members of the committee. He once again thanked everyone for their support to the committee, and noted that he will focus on atrial fibrillation to drive the improvement of atrial fibrillation diagnosis and treatment in the entire Sichuan region through the efforts of the committee and the platforms of SCIMEA.

At the end of the meeting, Ms. Zhang Mengfan, Secretary General of SCIMEA, expressed her heartfelt thanks to all the guests and gave a brief introduction on the status quo and work of the SCIMEA. She also indicated that the SCIMEA will contribute to the disciplinary development with more innovative services, empower doctors, and further promote the value transformation of all disciplines.