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An interview with Kevin Xu, President of MEBO International

Can you tell us about MEBO International’s regenerative medicine training program for doctors? What led MEBO International to establish the program, and can you share any particular success stories?

My father, Dr. Rongxiang Xu, the Founder of MEBO International, passed away in 2015. To commemorate his life, we partnered with the Clinton Global Initiative and took the first step towards our goal of training 20,000 doctors within a year. As I embarked on advancing my father’s dream, I recognized the importance of preparing clinical forces specialized in burn and trauma for building up a safer and more stable future for our world. We later joined the United Nations Every Woman Every Child (EWEC) network to expand our training program, and as of 2020, we have trained doctors in dozens of countries around the world.

 

What are some barriers or challenges that MEBO has faced in working to scale its disaster preparedness and response efforts globally?

As we began to expand our training program, we experienced challenges when navigating different cultures and regulatory systems. However, by partnering with organizations such as Save the Children and The British Red Cross, and by working with local governments across the world, we were able to bridge barriers and provide humanitarian aid to those who needed it.

 

How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted MEBO’s initiatives and priorities?

In the wake of COVID-19, we have found new and unique opportunities to apply our philanthropic efforts. We have expanded our partnerships in order to provide help and expertise during this difficult time to governments and organizations all around the world. We found that this enabled us to fulfil our social responsibilities on a far larger scale, and deepened the bond we had with our partners. With this higher level of trust, we are now able to elevate our collaborations even more.

 

Drawing on MEBO’s experiences, what role do you see for the public sector, private sector, local health organizations, and NGOs in enhancing global disaster preparedness and response?

Collaboration is essential to enhancing disaster response strategy and making sure that help is provided to all those in need in a timely fashion. Leaders in the public and private sectors must cooperate with each other if we are to fulfil our responsibility of making the world a better place. Even though these sectors operate in different manners, they can speak the same language if they prioritize putting people first and bettering others.

 

What are MEBO’s plans for 2021, and what kinds of partners are you looking to collaborate with over the course of the next year? 

We have been working in different regions of the world to help doctors improve their emergency response strategies. We have trained doctors in Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, and are now turning our attention to Europe as a new target area for training doctors. Through our partnership with Concordia, we believe that we can place disaster preparedness, recovery, and resiliency at the top of the global agenda, reaching new heights in collaboration..

 

What is necessary in terms of communication among cross-cultural backgrounds as you approach multinational dialogue and conversation?

As an Executive Committee Member of the California-China Trade and Investment Advisory Group, I often emphasize the importance of unity, and how this can be achieved by focusing on our shared similarities. My experiences in the California-China Trade and Investment Advisory Group have led me to believe that you cannot make progress by making unilateral decisions. In order to bridge both cultures, you have to apply multiple aspects into your judgement and comprehension – such as historical factors and personal anecdotes.