On December 17, Cui Li, vice-minister of the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC), hosted a farewell meeting for a medical team aiding West Africa. This time, China is sending 14 medical staff as part of a second batch to Sierra Leone, as well as 24 members to Liberia, Guinea and other neighboring countries. Minister Li Bin and Vice-Minister Cui Li represented the NHFPC to meet with the medical team members.

Cui Li pointed out that since the NHFPC sent the first public health training group to Sierra Leone, it has trained 1,713 medical staff and community workers. The training area covers 38 communities of Freetown, Sierra Leone’s capital city. The Chinese public health team is playing its role in helping West Africa fight against Ebola with experiences that accumulate in public health and contagious disease prevention sectors.

Cui stressed that at present Sierra Leone’s Ebola cases are on the rise, and the situation of West African epidemic prevention is still very cloudy. At this moment, China sending medical staff to the Ebola-affected areas again is important for strengthening the prevention ability of these areas, strengthening friendship between China and West African countries, and building China’s image of international humanitarian aid and responsibility.