Ways to better future

For future health cooperation, I'd like to put forward the following suggestions:

First, health cooperation between China and Africa should be comprehensively improved, based on the construction of a public health system. The African Union's (AU) Agenda 2063 emphasizes the construction of a public health system and puts forward the goal of promoting access to healthcare services in Africa. In the future, China-Africa health cooperation should focus on the construction of a public health system, and the international community should fulfill its commitment to development assistance and achieve the AU Agenda 2063 goal together.

At the special session of the United Nations General Assembly, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced China would establish assistance funds for South-South cooperation and establish 100 hospitals and clinics to support other developing countries. On the basis of Africa's need, consent and participation, China will support African countries to establish appropriate health service systems and disease prevention and control systems to enhance their ability in public health surveillance, disease forecasting and rapid response, and to guarantee the management of public health emergencies in a timely manner.

China will cooperate with African countries in key areas such as the prevention and treatment of malaria and schistosomiasis, women and children's health and reproductive health to seek an earlier solution to the major public health issues haunting African countries.

Second, we should strengthen cooperation among hospitals and enterprises to increase African people's access to basic medical products and services. In the next three years, China will dispatch 1,500 medical personnel to 40 African countries to provide free treatments, including cataract surgeries. China will also conduct specialist training courses and academic and technological exchanges in Africa. In addition, China will support 20 high-level Chinese medical institutions to work with their counterparts in Africa in an effort to enhance the performance of African clinical specialists, and expand cooperation and exchanges in appropriate medical technology to train medical specialists for African countries.

In an era of economic globalization, medical science and technology develop rapidly. China and Africa should learn from each other, and ensure that the benefit of development can be shared by the people.

On October 5, Chinese medical scientist Tu Youyou was awarded the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. She discovered and extracted artemisinin based on TCM research and found a new way to cure malaria. This benefited billions of people and saved millions of patients' lives worldwide. Compound medicine based on artemisinin is now the first option for malaria treatment. Tu's achievements make us proud and demonstrate TCM's contribution to human health, which will further promote China-Africa health cooperation.

China and African countries should strengthen cooperation and set up a multi-level and comprehensive partnership in pharmaceuticals and health. In the next three years, China will support large pharmaceutical and health enterprises to set up joint ventures in African countries, transferring relevant technologies to African countries and providing African people with accessible, reliable and affordable medical products, vaccines and medical equipment.

China also needs African countries' cooperation in the standardization and certification of medicines and healthcare products, trade facilitation, establishment of pharmaceutical industrial parks, and preferential policies. China hopes Africa will encourage joint ventures and cooperation between Chinese and African enterprises to ensure more medical technology and products are transferred into Africa faster, benefiting Africans.

Third, China and Africa should set up a health cooperation partnership that is concerted, collaborative and open. Both sides should work together to improve communication mechanisms to make health cooperation a new highlight. China will work hard to make the Ministerial Forum of China-Africa Health Development an important platform and effective mechanism to promote health cooperation as a sub-forum of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. China is willing to carry out comprehensive and lasting health cooperation, set up a communication mechanism, and enhance practical cooperation with the AU, sub-regional African organizations and African countries.

The Chinese Government encourages enterprises, institutions of higher learning, organizations and individuals to participate in and support African health development. China supports the global health initiatives passed by WHO, the Joint United Nations Program on HIV and AIDS and other international organizations, as well as relevant countries, foundations and enterprises. China advocates all sides to utilize advantages and strengthen cooperation to support African health development, and realize the sustainable development of global health.

To maintain global healthcare security, China and African countries should work together to make great contributions. In an ever-changing world, healthcare that is guaranteed and keeps improving is the foundation and aim of all countries in their pursuit of sustainable development, which will benefit the future generations. With joint efforts, I believe health cooperation will become the new engine, driving force and highlight of China-Africa cooperation.