China donates US$5 Million materials

The Government of the People’s Republic of China has donated medical supplies worth US$ 5Million to Liberia.

 China warns that the fight against the Ebola virus is not over in the three highly hit West African countries; Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.

Speaking on Monday, 13 April during formal handover ceremony of humanitarian assistance at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Stadium in Paynesville outside Monrovia, Chinese Ambassador accredited near the capital, Zhang Yue, said the battle against the Ebola Virus is like sailing upstream and no advancing means retreating.

However, Ambassador Zhang said the danger is still in the region and constant vigilance and hard efforts are still needed to ensure what will be achieved and sustained.

Among items donated by the Chinese government include 20 ambulances, 20 pickup trucks,10 incinerators,100 motorcycles,150 hospital beds,4,000 sets of health care product, 60,000 sets of PPEs, 20,000 bottles of hand washing disinfectants, and 215 infra-red thermometers with a total cost of US$5Million.

“Today, we are glad to see that people here not only know how to prevent Ebola, but also have a very professional team of workforce to contain and control the rapid spread of the deadly virus”, the Chinese envoy said.

According to the Ambassador, the most important achievement by Liberians is the aggressive awareness and the quick establishment of various treatment centers across the country with qualified expertise, saying, “No epidemic can frighten us in the future.”

Ambassador Zhang said being free from Ebola is not the end of the journey, adding that China has already set sight on post-Ebola recovery plan.

“We believe that while it is important to give people fish to eat, it is more important to teach the same people how to fish”, he stressed.

He said with more personnel training, collaborative research and experience exchange with other countries in the region on public health and disease prevention and control, China is determined to share its experience and skills to help Liberia restores and improves its public health and disease prevention system to prevent similar massive outbreak in the future.

The Chinese Ambassador pointed out that China will actively participate in Liberia’s economic recovery process, and that the country now stands at the threshold of not only resilience but also new development and China will continue to play a constructive road in this recovery process, saying, “It is our belief that crisis brings us danger as well as opportunity.” 

In response, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf lauded the Chinese Ambassador for his country’s continuous effort in supporting Liberia’s post-Ebola recovery plan.

 “We want to appreciate your country’s effort to our country in the time where we had no idea of controlling the virus”, the Liberian leader said.

President Sirleaf recounted that China has been a true partner to Liberia, adding that Liberia cannot forget the number of assistance received from the People’s Republic of China.

At the same time she urged Liberians to continue the vigilant work in following preventive measures prescribed by health authorities to avoid another countdown.

President Sirleaf said China is the first country to launch the post-Ebola recovery plan by providing assistance to the people of Liberia.

“We have no doubt in the Chinese government for the numerous contributions render to this country; the Liberian government however encourage international partners to invest in the private sector because it is the engine for growth”, the President added.

China initially provided a plan load of Ebola preventive materials to Liberia, including doctors last year during the peak of the epidemic here. The Chinese constructed and operated an ETU at the SKD Stadium in Paynesville besides other vital assistance, which helped to curb the virus in Liberia.  

By Lewis S. Teh