China's assistance enables Ethiopia to keep fighting COVID-19: official

Airport ground staff transport the COVID-19 vaccines donated by Chinese Red Cross Society in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, June 19, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Ping)

"When the virus was new for the world and Ethiopia, the support from China was really one of the greatest support in terms of personal protective equipments, testing kits and also different machines, training and experience-sharing," Ethiopian State Minister of Health Dereje Duguma said.

ADDIS ABABA, June 20 (Xinhua) -- China has come to the aid of Ethiopia since COVID-19 broke out last year, enabling the African country to keep fighting the pandemic, a senior Ethiopian official has said.

Ethiopian State Minister of Health Dereje Duguma made the remarks on Saturday at a handover ceremony where the Ethiopian Red Cross Society received a batch of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines from its Chinese counterpart.

Expressing his gratitude to China's support, Duguma said China has helped his country build anti-pandemic capabilities since the onset of the virus.

"Our foremost gratitude and thanks is to the government and people of China for providing different (kinds of) support since the first few months of the pandemic," the state minister said.

"When the virus was new for the world and Ethiopia, the support from China was really one of the greatest support in terms of personal protective equipments, testing kits and also different machines, training and experience-sharing," Duguma said.

Duguma added that China's overall support is of great importance in the country's efforts to enhance public health as well as economic development.