NHC minister meets with UNAIDS executive director

On July 11, Lei Haichao, minister of China's National Health Commission (NHC), met with Winnie Byanyima, under-secretary-general of the United Nations and executive director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), in Beijing to exchange in-depth views on bilateral cooperation.

Lei spoke highly of past cooperation between China and the UNAIDS, noting that the Chinese government has always adhered to the strategy of putting people's health first and implemented the Healthy China Initiative, achieving remarkable results in health undertakings including HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment.

He said China attaches great importance to South-South health cooperation and supports the building of health systems in developing countries by sending medical teams on a long-term basis, as well as providing them with anti-epidemic aids amid outbreaks of Ebola and COVID-19. China will continue to cooperate with the UNAIDS to advance the building of a global community of health for all, he added.

Byanyima praised China's achievements in health undertakings, recognized the cooperation between China and the UNAIDS, and thanked China for its support of vaccines and other medical products to other developing countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. She said the UNAIDS hopes to deepen collaboration and exchanges with China in such fields as HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment to contribute to achieving the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Officials of related NHC departments and the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration were present at the meeting.