Motsoaledi signs health deal with China
CAPE TOWN — Africa is looking to China to boost its capacity to deal with health emergencies, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said yesterday ahead of the signing of a Sino-African health co-operation agreement.
“Health is key to development and in combating poverty,” he said at the second Ministerial Forum for China-Africa Health Development, which began on Sunday. The gathering focused on strengthening Africa’s ties with China in the wake of the Ebola outbreak.
Dr Motsoaledi emphasised SA’s commitment to the health-related goals of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, as did his Chinese counterpart Bi Lin.
Chinese medical assistance to Africa dates back to 1963, when China sent a medical team to Algeria. It provides a wide range of aid from medication and equipment to infrastructure and training.
Unlike western donors who generally targeted a specific disease, China had historically invested in health infrastructure to protect its economic interests, said Erica Penfold, a South African Institute of International Affairs researcher. “China’s steel mines in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea were threatened by Ebola, so it offered humanitarian aid to protect its interests,” she said.
Ms Bi said China and Africa faced “unprecedented opportunities” for co-operation. Under the three-year implementation framework, China committed to establishing 100 new hospitals and clinics in Africa, and would encourage “10 large Chinese pharmaceutical and medical equipment enterprises” to co-operate with African counterparts.
The framework agreement says China will match 20 of its tertiary hospitals with African facilities to strengthen clinical practice.
China planned to recruit 1,500 medical personnel to work in Africa in the next three years. Staff would be sent on short medical missions to 40 countries to provide services such as free cataract surgery, said Ms Bi.
“We need to learn from each other and share the outcomes of development.
“In the next three years the Chinese government will support technology transfer from (Chinese) companies and will provide affordable and reliable products, vaccines and equipment,” she said.