Life at more than 4,500 meters above sea level in Nagqu, Xizang Autonomous Region has long been a test of will. Thin air, bitter winters and vast distances turn routine tasks into real adventures. Yet change is quietly reshaping lives here—not through skyscrapers or bullet trains, but through healthcare breakthroughs and land renewal.
Nagqu is the Chinese mainland’s highest-altitude prefecture-level city, with fewer than two people per square kilometer. On my visit, two moments stood out: one about saving fragile lives, and the other about restoring fragile lands.
🌟 Saving fragile lives in the world’s highest NICU
At Nagqu People’s Hospital, I stepped into the Chinese mainland’s highest-altitude neonatal intensive care unit. There I met a baby girl weighing just 900 grams, born prematurely after only six months of pregnancy—delivered in a car halfway to Lhasa. A decade ago, her chances of survival here would have been slim to none. Today, modern equipment and dedicated medical teams give tiny fighters like her a real shot at life. 👶💕
🌱 Reviving fragile lands amid the high-altitude plains
Beyond the hospital walls lie windswept grasslands that once seemed beyond repair. Here, locals are coming together to breathe new life into the soil. Though each effort looks different from one valley to the next, the goal is the same: help the earth heal so both people and nature can flourish under the vast sky. Every green patch is a reminder that hope can grow in even the toughest conditions. 🌾💚
From the tiniest patients battling for survival to community-driven land projects, Nagqu’s story is one of resilience and renewal. At 4,500 meters, life is changing for the better—one brave step at a time.
Reference(s):
Reporter take: How Xizang's development elevates people's well-being
cgtn.com
