Prevailing through solidarity—part 1

After the Covid-19 outbreak, China has been fighting it with all-out efforts. The most comprehensive, stringent and thorough measures taken have produced positive effects.

After the first case of Covid-19 was reported in China, the Chinese Government took effective prevention and control measures rapidly, such as sealing off the city and building hospitals, timely reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other countries to earn time for the world.

At present, scientists all over the world are studying the origin of the virus. We should believe in science rather than slander and believe in evidence rather than rumours. China, with the vision of a responsible attitude towards global public health security and people’s well-being, has been reaching out to the affected countries to help them fight against the pandemic and get through this difficult time.

1. Intergovernmental assistance

So far, the Chinese Government has provided or is providing supplies such as surgical masks, protective gears and testing reagents to 127 countries and four international organisations.

It has also sent 17 medical teams to 15 countries to help them combat Covid-19. The Chinese experts shared their experience with local medical workers, helped them improve their ability in prevention, containment, diagnosis and treatment in jointly overcoming the pandemic. Their efforts have been well recognised by the governments and people of these countries.

In contrast to the United States suspension of funding for WHO, China has donated $20 million to WHO’s international cooperation against Covid-19, especially to help countries with vulnerable public health systems to shore up lines of defence.

Local governments in China have also donated supplies to foreign cities. The first batch of medical supplies donated by the Chinese Government, including N95 masks, protective suits, thermometers, gloves and shoe covers, has been delivered to Malawi, and the second batch is on the way.

2. Medical technological cooperation

China has held over 70 video conferences with experts from more than 150 countries and international organisations, including African countries and the African Union. Exchange through this mechanism has helped countries across the globe. Besides these conferences, China has also released the seventh version of its diagnosis and treatment, and sixth of prevention and control protocols. They are a collection of combat experience gathered over the course of more than two months. They represent the wisdom and hard work of tens of thousands of frontline medical personnel in China. With the protocols translated into many foreign languages, we are sharing them with WHO and the international community.

3. Non-governmental assistance

Chinese enterprises and civil groups in China have donated medical supplies to more than 100 countries, regions and international organisations. Take the Jack Ma Foundation as an example, it has provided supplies assistance to more than 150 countries. It just announced to donate 100 million masks, one million N95 masks and one million test kits to WHO.

By now, Jack Ma Foundation has donated two batches of medical supplies to Africa, the third batch of donation is ready for departure. All the three batches of supplies include 2.6 million swabs, extraction and test kits, 10.6 million masks, 460 000 protective suits and face shields, one million gloves, 4000 thermometers, 800 ventilators and 100 body temperature scanners.

Among them, the first two batches of donation to Malawi, including 102 500 masks, 20 800 test kits, 18 900 swabs and extraction kits, 5 000 protective suits and face shields, five ventilators and 36 thermometers, have arrived and the third batch is on the way. Meanwhile, Chinese community in Malawi has donated 47 500 masks, 1 100 hand sanitisers, 1 500 gloves, 800 soaps and 11 thermometers to Ministry of Health, city councils, Malawi Defence Force, Malawi Police Service and Immigration Department.