China has dispatched its initial contingent of medical experts to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to bolster efforts against the country’s latest Ebola outbreak.
The Chinese anti-epidemic medical expert team arrived in Kinshasa on Tuesday for a three-month mission. Their focus is on enhancing Ebola prevention, treatment, surveillance, and epidemic control systems within the Central African nation.
The deployment follows an announcement by China’s Foreign Ministry that Beijing would provide emergency humanitarian assistance to the DRC after the World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreak a “public health emergency of international concern”.
Speaking during a regular press briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian expressed China’s sympathy for the DRC regarding the new Ebola outbreak. He reiterated China’s ongoing commitment to supporting African nations during public health crises.
“China and Africa are good brothers sharing weal and woe,” adding that China would actively assist countries affected by the outbreak, including through the deployment of medical expert teams and emergency medical services. Lin stated
According to Lin, the Chinese government has also expanded its cooperation with the African Union Commission and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention to strengthen Africa’s capacity to prevent and manage Ebola outbreaks.
At Kinshasa airport, representatives from the DRC Ministry of Health welcomed the Chinese delegation, describing the mission as timely and significant support for the Congolese people.
Luku Maleyo Marius, representing the Ministry of Health, noted China’s consistent support for the DRC during major public health emergencies. He expressed confidence that this latest mission would help improve epidemic prevention, treatment systems, and outbreak containment efforts.
The Ebola outbreak has generated significant international concern, leading several countries, including the United States, Canada, Thailand, and Vietnam, to tighten border health inspections and implement precautionary entry restrictions to prevent cross-border transmission.
Before their departure, members of the Chinese medical team affirmed that the mission reflects China’s broader commitment to global anti-epidemic cooperation. They indicated that the team would adapt China’s previous epidemic response experience to local conditions in the DRC while providing support for clinical care and disease surveillance.
China has previously played a substantial role in Africa’s Ebola response. During the 2015 West Africa Ebola crisis, Beijing provided medical teams, supplies, treatment facilities, and technical support to the affected countries.
According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, China has so far dispatched 45 medical teams, comprising over 900 personnel, to 44 African countries. Chinese health professionals are currently working alongside local medical authorities in several African states.
Chinese officials state that this latest Ebola support mission forms part of the broader China-Africa cooperation framework agreed under the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Summit, which identified health cooperation and emergency response as key partnership priorities.
Beijing has also urged the international community to increase practical support for the DRC and other African countries battling the outbreak to contain the disease before it spreads further across the region.
