China Africa health cooperation based on mutual respect

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BEIJING, Aug. 17 -- As China marks the 50th anniversary of the first medical aid mission sent to Africa, China is expected to play a greater role in supporting health system in the continent.

African health officials from 48 countries participating the Ministerial Forum of China-Africa Health Development on Friday and various specialized seminars on Saturday recognized China's roles in improving their countries' health systems and expressed hopes that China can help them build health capacity.

"We salute the seriousness with which the Chinese people and Chinese government attach to cooperation with Africa in health sector, and this forum also shows the seriousness of Africa, as more than 40 health ministers participated," Dr. Hon. Ruhakana Rugunda, health minister of the Republic of Uganda, told Xinhua.

He said "China's aid supports our needs, and we think is helping to build capacity of the people in Uganda and also in Africa."

Kassim Issak Osman, health minister of the Republic of Djibouti, introduced that the country has begun receiving medical aid from China shortly after its independence.

Apart from sending medical teams, China has donated medical devices and a hospital with 120 beds and five Chinese health workers, as well as considerable amount of drugs, such as drugs treating tuberculosis.

"China is a partner that we can trust at any time," Osman said.

WHY CHINA'S HELP WELCOMED

"China-Africa health cooperation is based on mutual respect," said Dr. Rugunda.

"China has stood by Africa during the time of war, supported Africa's liberation movements," he said, "China is not investing in order to get money, but to support people who are fighting for their freedom, and to support people who are building capacity to rely on themselves."

He rejected the allegations that China is exercising a type of neo-colonialism in Africa, "China does not impose aid. It is Africans who ask for this aid."

Osman said China offers free assistance to Djibouti despite the fact that the country has almost nothing that China can capitalize on.

China's experience in improving primary health care is especially relevant to Africa, according to Dr. Mercy Ahun, special representative for GAVI Eligible Countries, GAVI Alliance, while attending the forum.

As China also started from a very low level in terms of primary health care, China's experiences are more applicable to African countries as compared to western ones, she argued.

Besides, China's manufacturers can bring down prices of African drugs, which addresses affordability of health care, the biggest hurdle in improving African people's health, Dr. Ahun said.

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