China dispatches anti-pandemic medical team to Addis Ababa amid Coronavirus nightmare

MOGADISHU, Somalia - A team of anti-pandemic medical experts from China will arrive in Addis Ababa on Thursday [today], Ethiopia's state broadcaster Fana reported, as the communist state steps up to help Africa eradicate Coronavirus.

Despite being the center of the global pandemic, China has since stabilized after months of lockdown, with the disease leaving over 3,500 people dead of the 81,000 infections. Wuhan city was the worst hit with the pandemic.

The medical team is selected by the provincial health committee of Sichuan, the Chinese embassy in Ethiopia said in a statement on Thursday. The team is among the first batch of anti-pandemic members to be dispatched to Africa.

“It is a full demonstration of solidarity, with the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping, and an epitome of the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation Partnership between China and Ethiopia,” said the statement.

China had dispatched a similar team to Italy, one of the worst-hit nations with the pandemic. The European nation lost over 19,000 people to the disease of all it's infections. To date, Italy is still fighting against the disease.

Top among the agenda will be sharing the experience with local teams on the fight against Coronavirus and probable prevention tactics, the statement added. The team comprises of 12 medical experts will be working in Ethiopia for 15 days as planned.

By Thursday, Ethiopia had recorded 92 positive COVID-19 cases. Of this number, three have died and 15 recovered, health minister Lia Tadese said in a statement, noting that "we shall do all we can to protect the population".

The team will also cooperate and exchange views with African Disease Control Center and WHO office in Ethiopia, the Chinese embassy added in the statement.

Most of the experts are drawn from West China Hospital Sichuan University, CDC of Sichuan, People’s Hospital of Sichuan Province, the Affiliated Hospital of South-west Medical University and the Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

The experts specialize in various areas, including general surgery, epidemiology, respiratory, infectious diseases, critical care, clinical laboratory and integration of traditional Chinese and Western medicine.

Also, the team will come with urgently needed medical supplies including protective equipment, and traditional Chinese medicine that has been tested effective by clinical practice, Fana added.

Traditional Chinese medicine and the integration of traditional Chinese and Western medicine are of the critical factors of China’s success in prevention and control of COVID-19.

According to the officials, the team "will spare no efforts in fulfilling their mission by way of in-depth exchanges of hands-on experiences with Ethiopian experts and officials" in a bid to help further improve the prevention and control capabilities of Ethiopia and beyond in the fight again this common enemy of humanity.

Ethiopia has already received several donations geared towards Coronavirus pandemic fight. Early this week, United Arab Emirates joined the list of nations that have sent donations to the Horn of Africa nation.

"Grateful to the UAE government for the support of 15tonnes worth of COVID19 prevention medical supplies, including PPE gears and masks. Appreciating my brother Mohamed BinZayed for showing solidarity with Ethiopia and the continent at large," PM Ahmed Abiy said.

But Djibouti remains the worst-hit country within East and the Horn of Africa, having recorded 435 cases as of Thursday. The country has five deaths to its name, a statement from the health department in Djibouti noted.

Somalia's figures surged to 80 with already five deaths registered while Kenya's figures are on an upward trajectory. Nairobi announced 225 infections and 10 deaths. Tanzania has also registered 88 new infections.

GAROWE ONLINE