ADDIS ABABA, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Director General of Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Jean Kaseya has welcomed China's "firm commitment" to supporting Africa's public health priorities, as the continent responds to the continued Bundibugyo Ebola virus outbreak.
"Africa CDC welcomes China's continued engagement and its firm commitment to supporting Africa's public health priorities," Kaseya told Xinhua in a recent interview, highlighting the China-Africa partnership in the public health sector, which includes public health infrastructure, capacity building, emergency preparedness, technical exchange, and other areas of cooperation.
Kaseya said the African Union's specialized continental public health agency is currently coordinating all partner support around a single continental response plan to fight against the Ebola outbreak.
"This approach helps align resources, reduce duplication, and direct support to the areas of greatest need," he said.
A five-member Chinese expert team arrived in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), on June 2 for a three-month mission to support the DRC's fight against the Ebola outbreak.
"The China-Africa CDC partnership can add value through technical cooperation, training, laboratory strengthening, emergency readiness, supply chain support, and broader health security collaboration," the director general said.
Meanwhile, the Africa CDC chief emphasized that global partners have a "critical role to play" in Africa's continued fight against the outbreak, saying that "the most useful support is fast, coordinated and aligned with the needs identified by affected countries and the continental response plan." ■