China to send medical expert team to Congo to assist Ebola control

Beijing (ANTARA) - China will send a team of medical experts to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to support efforts to control the Ebola outbreak in the African nation, the Chinese National Health Commission (NHC) announced on Monday. According to the NHC, the medical expert team is scheduled to depart from Beijing early Tuesday morning local time. The Chinese government decided to dispatch this high-level medical team after the World Health Organization declared on 17 May that the Ebola outbreak in the DRC constituted a “public health emergency of international concern.” Drawing on extensive experience in epidemic control, the experts will collaborate with the Chinese medical team currently stationed in the DRC and strengthen cooperation with local medical and epidemic control agencies to help suppress the Ebola outbreak. The expert team will also provide training on prevention and management for local healthcare facilities, the Chinese medical team, the Chinese embassy, Chinese companies, and Chinese expatriates. The deployment underscores China’s commitment to international cooperation in combating epidemics, an NHC official stated, adding that the team will share epidemic management experience based on local conditions and help increase the DRC’s capacity for Ebola prevention, control, and management. Since the recent outbreak, the 24th Chinese medical team currently in the DRC has activated emergency responses and implemented prevention and control systems, including conducting training and simulations, coordinating supplies, and improving the team’s living environment. Team members remain on the clinical frontline to protect the health of the local population and Chinese citizens in the DRC.