Members of the 19th Chinese medical team dispatched to the Central African Republic pose for a group photo in Bangui, Central African Republic, on 14 February

As a proverb goes, in times of difficulty, friendship is on trial. Looking back at the past 60 years when China continuously sent medical teams to Africa to assist local people and help African countries to enhance their medical capacity, China-Africa friendship has stood the trial. In April 1963, when China itself was struggling to deal with economic difficulties, the country dispatched its first medical team to aid Algeria, commencing an aid programme that continues till today. 

Statistics show that during the past six decades, China has dispatched 23,000 medical workers to more than 40 African countries. In total, more than 30,000 medical professionals have been sent to 76 countries and regions worldwide, providing treatment to 290 million local people. Currently, Chinese medical personnel are working at 115 locations in 56 countries around the world, of which nearly half are in remote areas with harsh conditions.  

The greatness of this programme lies in the fact that it brings the benefits directly to the people in communities, especially residents living in remote and mountainous areas with backward health care conditions and fewer medical resources. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping attaches great importance to China-Africa medical cooperation. In his letter replying to the 19th Chinese medical team dispatched to the Central African Republic on 9 February, Xi praised the medical personnel for overcoming difficulties in work and life while providing services to local people, saying that they are not only saving lives, but also building friendship. He called on the medical personnel to use their medical proficiency and ethics to benefit local people, and to better present China to the world through their concrete actions, thus making greater contributions to the building of a global community of health for all. 

File photo taken on 14 December 1966 shows an old Algerian man talking with Chinese doctors about his recovery

The right to life and the right to health are the basic human rights that should be enjoyed by people across the globe. “Good health and wellbeing” are among the goals of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. By sending medical workers to developing countries, African countries included, to provide medical services to local people and conduct hands-on trainings on advanced medical technologies and skills, China is fulfilling its commitments of maintaining and securing human rights and making important contributions to realising the goals of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

More importantly, China is also promoting the development of global health governance by providing concepts and solutions for coping with human health crises. China has put forward the concept of “building a global community of health for all” and is striving to “build a China-Africa community of health for all.”  

A series of actions have been taken in recent years to push China-Africa health cooperation to a new height. Strengthening health cooperation constitutes an important part of various action plans, including the “eight major initiatives” put forward at the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in 2018 and the “nine programmes” released at the Eighth FOCAC Ministerial Conference in Dakar, Senegal, in 2021. In June 2020, Xi presided over the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity Against COVID-19, stressing the importance of building a “China-Africa community of health for all.” In addition, the Health Silk Road under China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative is a project well received by African people. 

File photo taken on 12 March 1968 shows a member of Chinese medical team treating patients at a makeshift hospital in Afgooye, Somalia

The dispatch of medical personnel to aid Africa is just a small part of China-Africa health cooperation. Now that the programme has continued for six decades without interruption and is set to continue in the future, what is behind this programme that supports batches after batches of Chinese medical staff to work in Africa? Xi pointed out in his letter, “The Chinese people love peace and cherish lives, which is vividly illustrated by their efforts in international medical assistance.”