China: ICRC attends the 50th Florence Nightingale Medal Award Ceremony

Your Excellencies,

Distinguished Awardees of the Florence Nightingale Medal,

Ladies and gentlemen,
    
On behalf of the International Committee of the Red Cross, I am delighted to attend the Award Ceremony of the Florence Nightingale Medal today.

The founding mission of our organization was to provide neutral and impartial medical assistance to those wounded on the battlefield. Over 160 years, medical assistance has consistently remained at the core of the ICRC’s humanitarian operations around the world as we strive, working hand in hand with National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, to protect and assist civilians from the devastating impact of armed conflict.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, reminding us of the profound human cost when essential protection norms are lacking or disrespected. The horrors of WWII led to the adoption of the 1949 Geneva Conventions, cornerstone of International Humanitarian Law. Caring for the wounded and sick in armed conflict will and must remain a key priority for the ICRC and many of the National Societies of our Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

In 1912, in honour of the pioneering nurse Florence Nightingale, the ICRC created the Florence Nightingale Medal, the highest international distinction in the nursing profession. It recognizes exceptional courage and devotion to victims of armed conflict or natural disasters; and commends exemplary service or a pioneering spirit in public health or nursing education.

It is my pleasure, on behalf of the ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric, to extend our congratulations to the seven Chinese nurses who were awarded the 50th attribution of the Medal, together with 28 other nurses and voluntary nursing aides from 16 National Societies.

I would like to take a moment to commend the Red Cross Society of China’s awardees:

• Ms. FENG Ling from Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University: For 35 years, Feng has cared for over 10,000 AIDS patients, fighting stigma. She introduced China’s first pediatric AIDS support programs and led Hubei’s groundbreaking HIV-positive kidney transplant.
• Ms. HAN Lin from Gansu Provincial Hospital: As a frontline leader in disaster response and nursing education, Han transformed healthcare in Gansu’s remote Tibetan regions by establishing bilingual health programs and training centers.
• Mr. Walter LEUNG a volunteer of the Hong Kong Red Cross, Branch of Red Cross Society of China: For 15 years, Leung has served as a senior nurse in over 10 international missions - from Ebola treatment in Liberia to emergency field hospitals in Gaza, Syria, and earthquake-stricken Nepal.
• Ms. QIN Yuling from the PLA General Hospital: Qin braved Ebola outbreaks in Sierra Leone three times, achieving a 51% cure rate. She and her team established the PLA’s first Infectious Disease Nursing Demonstration Base, training over 1,300 specialists.
• Ms. TIAN Li from Tianjin Third Central Hospital: Tian introduced the “Unaccompanied Care” model, adopted by 1,000+ hospitals nationwide, freeing families while enhancing patient well-being. Dedicated to rural outreach, she built resilient healthcare systems in underserved areas.  
• Ms. XING Hong from Shanghai General Hospital: Xing revolutionized cancer care by improving the Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters technique, increasing success rates from 60% to 90%. Her “Cancer Rehabilitation Salon” offers holistic support to patients.
• Ms. ZHANG Yulian from Shaanxi Provincial Hospital: Zhang transformed rural healthcare through the "ten-in-one" nurse management model, boosting nurse-to-bed ratios. She advanced high-altitude healthcare in Tibet and deployed in Sudan and Malawi.

You have not only made an exceptional contribution in your respective professional fields, but also demonstrated the spirit of Florence Nightingale, which is to protect life with dedication, professionalism and courage. You are held in high regard for your distinctive service. By dedicating your lives to help people in need, you embody the meaning of the Red Cross Red Crescent Fundamental Principles through action.

For a third consecutive round, China has the highest number of awardees. Allow me to express my congratulations for this achievement.  I also take this opportunity to pay a tribute to all medical personnel working on the front lines to reduce suffering in conflicts and disasters.

As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the ICRC’s Regional Delegation for East Asia this year, I reaffirm our commitment to the strategic partnerships with China and the RCSC. May we continue to work together to make a huge difference to vulnerable populations across the world!

Thank you.