Cui Li, vice-minister of the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC), led a delegation made up of officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the NHFPC and the Health Department of General Logistics on a visit to Liberia from November 24 to 27.

On November 25, Cui Li and President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf attended the opening ceremony of the Liberian Ebola treatment center built by China. She also met with the Liberian health minister, the staff of the Chinese embassy in Liberia, the Chinese medical team, the Chinese peacekeeping force in Liberia and representatives from Chinese-funded institutions. On November 26, she met with members of the UN mission dealing with Ebola in Liberia, representatives of the WHO, the Africa Union ambassador in Liberia and the Africa Union Ebola affairs coordinator.

During her visit, Cui Li represented the Chinese government delegation by giving regards to President Sirleaf and stressed that China and Africa are always friends in need. Since the Ebola outbreak, the Chinese government has provided West African countries significant aid, such as medical staff, public health experts, prevention supplies, food and cash. So far, there have been more than 600 medical staff and public health experts working in West African Ebola-affected areas. In the next months, China will dispatch a total of 1,000 medical staff and public health experts to do laboratory testing, suspected cases observation and treatment, and training of 10,000 local medical staff. To date, the Chinese government has provided emergent aid worth a total of 750 million yuan to West African Ebola-affected areas and relevant international and regional organizations.

President Sirleaf praised China’s contribution to aid Africa, especially Liberia’s fight against Ebola. She said that the Chinese government is the first to take measures to help Liberia, and the treatment center built by China is excellent in its quality and equipment, which bears witness to Sino-Liberian friendship.

Cui said that although China is still a developing country facing tough tasks, it will try its best to help African countries.

In the meeting with Liberian health minister, both sides exchanged ideas about the Liberian Ebola epidemic situation, the deployment of prevention work and how to better play the role of the Ebola treatment center.

Relevant officials from the Health Department of General Logistics, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Chinese embassy in Liberia and the NHFPC attended the above activities.