A doctor belonging to the Chinese medical team attends to patients in an African town. (Photo : www.globaltimes.cn)
Chinese and African health officials have adopted on Tuesday, Oct. 6, the Cape Town Declaration, which provides the objectives for future cooperation in health development, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
The development came as health ministers in China and African countries convened for the 2nd Ministerial Forum of China-Africa Health Development in Cape Town, South Africa.
The declaration is an affirmation of the health collaboration between China and African countries and will be guided by the latter's action programmes/strategies, the WHO action programmes, the AU Agenda 2063 and the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals.
The report said that the aim of the collaboration is to save lives and improve the well-being of people.
According to the declaration, the health cooperation must be strengthened around universal health coverage (UHC), reaffirming the importance of accessibility to high-quality, essential health commodities, medicines and vaccines, as well as medical devices, diagnostics, and regulation of drugs and commodities.
The report added that the declaration stressed the need to take actions against non-communicable diseases, preventable communicable and emerging diseases, such as Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria.
During the forum, participants highlighted China's contribution to the containment of EVD in West African countries, being the first to deliver EVD emergency support to the affected countries. Aside from financial support, China also supplied medical materials, mobile and fixed bio-safety labs, vehicles, training courses and food.
The participants also noted that China deployed medical professionals, lab technicians and public health specialists to affected areas, while African countries provided human resource, materials, labs, logistical support and humanitarian relief to the EVD affected countries.
Dr. Matshidiso Rebecca Moeti, regional director for WHO's Africa region, commended China for being "a great partner" in Africa's development, especially in the health field as Chinese medical assistance has sustained Africa for long periods.
Moeti added that China has been sending medical teams to many African countries for many years, earning the appreciation of the African people.
Both China and Africa commit to implementing the Cape Town Declaration, as agreed in the Framework of Implementation.
Representatives from global organizations such the World Health Organization (WHO); the African Union; UNICEF (U.N. Children's Fund); UNAIDS; UNFPA (U.N. Population Fund); the World Bank; and Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria, attended the forum.
