Officials commend China’s support for public health in Africa

ADDIS ABABA | Xinhua |   The robust China-Africa partnership has made significant strides in improving public health outcomes in Africa, according to a senior Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) official.

“Over the years, China has consistently demonstrated its commitment to Africa’s health security, most notably through the construction of the Africa CDC headquarters, which stands as a testament to the strength of Africa-China relations,” Joseph Wangendo, senior technical officer at Africa CDC, said during a China-Africa development cooperation-themed high-level dialogue on Thursday.

Wangendo said the collaboration between Africa CDC and China has been instrumental in advancing practical outcomes in building resilient health systems, enhancing disease surveillance, and strengthening emergency response mechanisms.

He said China’s long-term capacity-building support targeting African public health professionals is also equipping Africa’s health workforce with the skills needed to manage current and future health challenges.

According to Wangendo, emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases in Africa, as manifested by the ongoing multi-country outbreak of mpox and the Marburg virus disease in Rwanda, have posed serious challenges to the resilience of Africa’s health systems.

He said against such public health threats, cooperation with Chinese partners, such as the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention and China International Development Cooperation Agency, is augmenting Africa CDC’s capabilities to effectively respond to public health threats in Africa.

“We are immensely grateful for the technical support and resources that China has provided, and we look forward to working altogether to strengthen Africa’s preparedness and response capabilities,” Wangendo said.

He said such collaborative efforts “are ensuring that Africa is not only prepared for the health challenges of today, but also resilient against the unknown threats of tomorrow.”

Wangendo further called for expanding cooperation in areas such as long-term investment in the laboratory infrastructure, expanding disease surveillance to provide real-time data for decision-making, and increasing capacity-building initiatives.

Wangendo’s views were echoed by Ethiopia’s State Minister of Labor and Skills Teshale Berecha, who underscored China’s meaningful support in improving public health in Africa.

Berecha said the Sino-Africa corporation in public health was vividly manifested during the COVID-19 pandemic, in which China provided medical aid and vaccines to many African countries.

He said as part of the South-South cooperation, China has built many hospitals, dispatched medical teams, and donated medical equipment to Ethiopia and other African countries. ■