Africa CDC commends China for support in Ebola response

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on Friday commended China for its solidarity with Africa in response to the ongoing Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak.

Africa CDC Director General Jean Kaseya made the remarks following a meeting with Jiang Feng, head of the Chinese Mission to the African Union (AU), at the agency's headquarters in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital.

During the meeting, the two officials signed a handover certificate formalizing a further emergency contribution of $2.5 million from the Chinese government to Africa's Ebola response, bringing China's total direct support to $4.5 million, Kaseya said in a statement posted on X.

Jiang said that China and Africa are good friends, reliable partners and good brothers. Since the outbreak began, the Chinese government has closely monitored the situation and attached great importance to Africa's response.

"Today, Africa received a powerful expression of solidarity," Kaseya said, noting that the support will "help us strengthen frontline operations, protect health workers and communities and accelerate efforts to bring the outbreak under control."

On behalf of Africa CDC, Kaseya expressed his deep gratitude to the Chinese government and people for standing with Africa at this critical moment.

In late June, China provided $2 million in emergency support for Africa's Ebola response.

In early July, the second Chinese anti-epidemic medical expert team arrived in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), to advance international cooperation in Ebola prevention and control.

The team is expected to provide technical support and conduct exchanges in epidemiological investigation, laboratory testing, case management, infection prevention and control, and personnel training, contributing Chinese expertise to the DRC's efforts to strengthen its epidemic prevention, control and treatment capacity.