Chinese medical team arrives to assist DR Congo in Ebola containment

Kinshasa (ANTARA) - A team of Chinese anti-epidemic medical experts arrived in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), on Tuesday (2/6) to assist the Central African nation in managing an Ebola outbreak. Luku Maleyo Marius, a representative of the DRC Ministry of Health, welcomed the arrival of the team, which is scheduled to serve for three months, at the airport. Marius stated that the deployment of medical experts by China represents timely and robust support for the government and the people of the DRC. He further noted that whenever the DRC faces significant public health challenges, China consistently provides timely assistance. Marius expressed hope that the mission would further strengthen the country’s capacity for epidemic prevention, control, and management, as well as assist in controlling the outbreak as quickly as possible. The leader of the Chinese expert team, Lu Ming, stated that his team would immediately begin working according to the needs of the DRC authorities. They will also collaborate with local medical and disease control agencies to provide support in epidemic assessment, case management, and other relevant fields. He added that the team would work closely with the DRC to protect lives and public health, contributing Chinese expertise to assist the DRC in controlling the outbreak at an early stage. On 15 May, the DRC officially confirmed its 17th Ebola outbreak since 1976. Two days later, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. The China National Health Commission announced its decision on Monday (1/6) to dispatch the medical expert team to support Ebola control efforts in the DRC. According to the commission, this first group consists of five members with extensive experience in epidemic control. They will share practical response experiences tailored to local conditions and assist in enhancing the DRC’s capacity for Ebola prevention, control, and management.