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Media Report 77
Source: | Author:hkb980dd | Published time: 2013-05-10 | 347 Views | Share:
 
Source: CNN
 
Editor's note: Dr. Lucy Chen is Executive Deputy Director of the Institute for Global Health at Peking University in Beijing. She led the development of the China-African Health Collaboration Roundtable series, which involves collaboration between Chinese, African and international policy makers and researchers.
 
(CNN) -- There is an old African proverb: "If you want to walk fast, walk alone. But if you want to walk far, walk together."
 
That was the guiding principle behind the International Roundtable on China-Africa Health Cooperation this week in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana. This is the fourth such annual conference -- and the first to be held on African soil.
 
The roundtable brought together Chinese and African health ministry officials, academics, members of the private sector, and representatives of such international organizations as the World Health Organization, Global Fund, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, GAVI Alliance and United Nations entities.
 
Over two days, we tackled such topics as malaria, AIDS, reproductive health, and schistosomiasis — health issues that China has largely brought under control but remain major health challenges in Africa.
 
China and the countries of Africa have much to unite them. We fought to free ourselves from colonialism; we view health as a key building block for economic development; and we are learning to build upon traditional economic development models that have allowed our societies to make progress. Sharing these values and history, we are pioneering a new South-to-South model based on mutual interests and respect.
 
To be sure, there is a long history of China and Africa collaboration on health. In the 1960s, China began sending medical teams to the continent. More recently, China has built hospitals and medical centers in many African countries. China has also provided medical training to African health professionals and is building capacity in other ways, such as providing scholarships to train health experts. More…
 
07/05/2013
 
Source: VOA
 
GABORONE, BOTSWANA —
African and Chinese delegates have come together in Botswana to exchange experiences on how to tackle health problems. Usually Africa is the one receiving advice from abroad. But African countries say they can teach other nations about health policies and how to tackle AIDS.
 
China, which participated in the fourth International Roundtable on China-Africa Health Cooperation, is willing to listen, said Teguest Guerma, director of the African Medical Research Foundation, or AMREF. She said that China can learn from Africa as well when it comes to tackling HIV/AIDS, as China’s HIV epidemic is much newer.
 
“We started by having behavior change, as a prevention mechanism in HIV/AIDS, but it didn’t work. Only behavior change doesn’t work, you need to have combination prevention. And also they have a number of blood transfusions that is happening in China so they can learn on how we have done to prevent HIV by blood transmission. And also how we mobilize the people, how we scaled up treatment, all this things they can learn from us," she said.
 
China and Africa both face challenges with AIDS and family planning issues, while Africa lacks doctors and researchers necessary to improve health care. But most of the discussions at the Roundtable were focused on getting Chinese knowledge, resources, and investment opportunities to Africa.
 
Ren Minghui of the Chinese Department of International Cooperation says that improving health care services in Africa will require a bigger participation from the Chinese private sector, and the Chinese government is supporting this effort.
 
“Chinese manufacturing industry can play an important role to support African countries in terms of good quality and low price products, because we solved our own health issues by making products in China and vaccines," he said. "Why this good quality at lower cost product can not be shared with African countries?” More…
 
07/05/2013
 
Source: VOA
 
Human rights and press freedom are crucial if China is to achieve its stated AIDS prevention goals, particularly when it comes to safeguarding women and children, a leading AIDS specialist has said.
 
According to U.S.-based dissident doctor Wan Yanhai, AIDS prevention is intimately bound up with human rights and the empowerment of women, and China is no exception.
 
"During the late 1990s, a large number of women became infected with HIV through blood transfusions, and then passed the virus on to their unborn children, particularly in central China's Henan province," Wan said in a commentary broadcast on RFA's Cantonese Service on Monday.
 
Wan accused Beijing of deliberately obscuring the truth about the extent to which AIDS is transmitted through tainted blood transfusion and donation clinics in poorer areas of the country.
 
"They don't take the initiative to tell people of the dangers of HIV infection through blood donation or blood transfusions, which leads to a situation in which a lot of women are infected but do not know it, and pass [HIV] onto their children," he said.
 
"At the same time, a lot of men are infected without knowing it, and pass the virus on to their wives, and she to the children ... resulting in countless tragedies," Wan said.
 
Rampant discrimination
 
He said the government's stated aim to achieve zero mother-to-infant infections is hampered by rampant discrimination against those who are found to be HIV positive in rural areas, where there is a widespread lack of education about transmission through blood transfusions. More…
 
 
06/05/2013
 
Source: SpyGhana
 
Today, Chinese and African leaders will come together at the 4th International Roundtable on China-Africa Health Cooperation to explore new partnerships to address some of the most pressing health challenges facing Africa and strengthen an innovative health partnership based on south-south cooperation. This year’s roundtable is the first to take place on the African continent. It will focus on promoting sustainable health solutions that meet the needs and priorities of African countries and draw on China’s unique expertise.
 
Officials will engage in two days of sessions aimed at determining how China and African countries can jointly tackle critical issues such as AIDS, malaria, schistosomiasis, reproductive health, access to lifesaving vaccines and non-communicable diseases. These health issues disproportionately affect African countries and have also been major health challenges for China. At the roundtable, China’s Director General of the National Health and Family Planning Commission will join Health Ministers from Botswana and Ghana; leaders from the African Union; representatives from the United Nations and non-governmental organizations; and entrepreneurs and business owners from China and Africa.
 
“Indeed, China and Africa have a long history of collaborating on health, built on shared challenges, experiences and addressing similar issues,” said Hon. Rev. Dr. John G. N. Seakgosing, Botswana’s Minister of Health. “China has a unique role in supporting African health progress. And with this roundtable, we look forward to deepening our partnership to benefit the health of our citizens.”