China has officially approved its first airplane hospital, a major step in expanding access to medical care in remote regions. The Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University in Shanghai received the nation’s first license to operate medical services aboard an aircraft, marking the beginning of a new era in aviation-based healthcare.
The specially modified aircraft, a domestically developed C909 regional jet, now serves as a fully functional flying medical unit. It focuses on facial health and ophthalmic treatment. According to Science and Technology Daily, the license was granted by the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, giving the hospital authority to run airborne medical operations under regulated standards.
Designed to bring medical expertise directly to underserved areas, the program uses 5G technology to enable real-time consultations between Shanghai-based specialists and patients in distant regions. The aircraft hospital conducted a trial run following its approval, providing free surgeries and diagnostic services on board.
Patients in remote areas benefit from airborne surgeries
One of the early beneficiaries was Abu, a patient from Ili in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. He received post-operative care aboard the plane and expressed full confidence in the medical team, led by Dr. Zhou Xingtao. He said the experience was reassuring and that he had not expected such high-quality care in an airborne setting.
China's first airplane hospital has received its medical institution practice license and officially went into pilot operation.
The airplane hospital dedicated to facial features health is modified from a C909, a home-developed short-medium range turbofan regional aircraft, and… pic.twitter.com/ATmpOzHJ2d
— People's Daily, China (@PDChina) February 2, 2026
Other patients from areas like Guizhou in southwest China have also received treatment through the mobile facility. To ensure high safety and medical standards, the hospital has implemented a comprehensive system covering personnel management, equipment handling, infection control, emergency procedures and environmental protection.
In partnership with the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, the hospital outfitted the C909 with a Class I clean surgery cabin that meets top laminar-flow purification standards. The sterile conditions are suitable for delicate operations, including eye surgeries.
China’s airplane hospital expands medical reach across regions
The aircraft hospital features a modular layout that integrates a mobile clinic, diagnostic area, surgical room, training space and pre-operative preparation zone. All sections are equipped with Chinese-made precision medical equipment.
Since its initial mission to Shihezi, Xinjiang, in September 2025, the airplane hospital has expanded from offering basic diagnostic services to performing surgical procedures. Hospital officials say the initiative has removed major geographic barriers for patients needing specialized care.
Looking ahead, the hospital plans to extend its airborne services in 2026 to underserved areas in Belt and Road partner countries. Dr. Zhou, president of the Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University, said the goal is to bring facial healthcare services to more people and contribute to global health through what he called an airborne health Silk Road.
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