Building the Silk Road with Health

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By Wu Guoxiu, CGTN correspondent

Chinese President Xi Jinping and WHO Director-General Margaret Chan have witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding at the organization's headquarters in Geneva on January 18. The MoU will step up its health cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) meets with World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Margaret Chan in Geneva, Switzerland, January 18, 2017. /Xinhua Photo

Under the MoU, China will work with the WHO to improve both the health level and health industries of China and other countries along the Belt and Road. Areas of cooperation will cover implementing health regulations and public health emergencies.

The two sides will work together to improve health care systems and to prevent and control infectious diseases and chronic diseases.

There will also be closer cooperation related to the certification of Chinese medicine and vaccines.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) meets with World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Margaret Chan in Geneva, Switzerland, January 18, 2017. /Xinhua Photo

I talked to Professor Liu Peilong, the director for the global health department at Peking University. He was previously the head of the Chinese Health Ministry's Department for International Cooperation, which works with the WHO and other multilateral and bilateral organizations in the field of health cooperation, and shared his thoughts on the matter.

"This is not the first MoU between China and WHO; the earliest was signed in 1978. But previous ones were mostly about China getting health-related support from the UN. This MoU is different. China now wants to go forth and cooperate with not only the UN, but also other countries."

Wu Guoxiu’s interview with Professor Liu Peilong, director for the global health department at Peking University. /CGTN Photo

Wu Guoxiu interviews Professor Liu Peilong, director for the global health department at Peking University. /CGTN Photo

Efforts are already underway.

1,178 Chinese medical workers are in 51 countries and regions, of which 42 are in Africa. China began sending medical aid teams to developing countries in 1963. 24,000 medical staff members have treated 270,000,000 patients. China's medical aid includes building free hospitals and training medical staff. The largest aid mission was carried out in 2014 fighting Ebola in West Africa. Five rounds of humanitarian aid were sent to 13 countries. Hospitals and labs were also built, and 1,200 medical staff members were deployed to carry out tests related to Ebola, as well as train local medical staff.

Chinese medical staff taking photos with the first three recovered Ebola patients they treated in Liberia on January 12, 2015. /81.cn Photo

As one of the earliest witnesses of these efforts, Professor Liu now sees the trends of change. "Since aiding in stopping Ebola, China's medical assistance will go through a big change. Previously, China mainly focused on providing clinical services. Now it's expanding to public health, to help developing countries achieve the goals of the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. Those goals mainly aim to improve people's health."

The National Health and Family Planning Commission has confirmed that Beijing will strengthen its cooperation with the WHO's headquarters, its West Asian office, and its Representative Office in China, and work to promote health efforts to countries along the Silk Road and the international community.

With its own health experiences, China now wants to play a more active and constructive role in global health governance. The country ‍believes health is an essential part of development, and all countries, international organizations, and civil societies should work together against global health threats.