China donates third batch of COVID-19 medical supplies to Ethiopia

ADDIS ABABA -- The Chinese embassy to Ethiopia disclosed on Aug 27 it has handed over the third batch of COVID-19 medical supplies to the east African country.

In a press statement, the Chinese embassy to Ethiopia, said the COVID-19 medical supplies consist of 500,000 surgical masks, 65,000 protective face masks and 100,000 pieces of medical protective clothing.

The medical supplies donation also consisted of thousands of surgical gloves, goggles and shoe covers.

"With a view to helping Ethiopia contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, following the first and second batches of donation in March and April this year respectively, the Chinese government has donated the third batch of medical materials to Ethiopia," it said.

"Since the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Ethiopia around mid-March, the Chinese government, as well as Chinese business community, have been continuously providing both technical and material assistance, in an effort to boost Ethiopia's capacity to handle the outbreak," said the statement.

The Chinese embassy to Ethiopia also said a Chinese medical team spent 15 days in Ethiopia in April as part of COVID-19 medical cooperation.

"In April, a Chinese medical expert task force spent 15 days in Ethiopia, visiting quarantine and treatment facilities, sharing first-hand experience with their Ethiopian counterparts and offering recommendations on Ethiopia's response the pandemic," it said.

"The Chinese medical expert taskforce' devotion and professionalism won wide acclaim from Ethiopian government officials and general public alike," it said.

In April, Ethiopia received a 12 members strong Chinese anti-pandemic medical expert team specializing in various public health sectors.

The Chinese anti-pandemic medical expert team included medical experts specializing in various public health sectors including general surgery, epidemiology, respiratory, infectious diseases, critical care, clinical laboratory and integration of traditional Chinese and Western medicine.

As COVID-19 cases continue to surge across Ethiopia, the Chinese anti-pandemic medical experts dispatched by the Chinese government greatly helped Ethiopia in confronting the pandemic.

With Ethiopia battling the spread of COVID-19, which has claimed more than 700 lives and infected more than 45,000 people in the country, the services of Chinese medical volunteers have been sought after by the Ethiopian government.

Separately, Ethiopia is hosting the 16-member 21st batch of Chinese medical team in Ethiopia, which is now in the East African country for about one-and-a-half-year period. The medical team consist of 16 medical specialists including those with neurology, neurosurgery, cardiology and dentistry specialty.