Shanghai Jiahui International Hospital launched its annual voluntary blood donation initiative on March 31, one day after this year's International Doctors' Day, with the participation of over 100 individuals, including its local and expat healthcare workers.

They collectively donated 21,400 milliliters of blood at the event themed "Lend an Arm: Share the Pulse of Life" and supported by institutions, including the Shanghai Xuhui district blood management office.

According to statistics from the Shanghai Blood Center, the city requires about 1,500 units of blood each day to meet the demands for clinical use.

Dr Ahmed Arafat, a pediatrician at Jiahui from Egypt, has lived in China for over a decade. It was his third time to participate in blood donation.

"Blood transfusion plays an irreplaceable role in medical treatment. In addition to the use for trauma, maternal cases, and surgeries, it can also benefit patients with blood diseases. I hope more individuals will join to support such charitable initiatives," he said.

A special volunteer made an appearance at the event — the humanoid intelligent robot G1 developed by Unitree, a Chinese robotics startup. It marked the robot's debut in a medical institution, where it navigated through the crowd, providing guidance to blood donors and delivering nutritional supplements.

Jiahui said it has been exploring intelligent healthcare since 2022. Through a strategic partnership with SenseTime, a leading artificial intelligence software company, Jiahui has introduced over 10 AI-assisted diagnostic applications, and established a comprehensive intelligent imaging platform for clinical diagnoses and surgical treatment, aiming to create a smart hospital.

"Robots have already taken on roles, such as medicine distribution and material transfer, within the hospital. Also, robot-assisted surgeries are actively being prepared," said Wu Haishan, president of Shanghai Jiahui International Hospital.

"With AI technology, we aim to provide patients with more efficient healthcare experience, incorporating intelligent guidance, patient care, data analysis, and medical education in diverse scenarios," he said.