KHARTOUM, June 11 -- Sudanese officials and specialists highly praised the visit of a Chinese medical team, which on Thursday concluded a two-week mission of supporting Sudan's fight against COVID-19.
Nada Bakri, director of the General Administration of Therapeutic Medicine at Sudan's Federal Health Ministry, praised the visit of the Chinese medical team and China's support to Sudan's fight against the pandemic.
"There were deep discussions and consultations that were so beneficial and important to us," she said.
The Chinese experts have gained rich experience in dealing with the pandemic "whether at the levels of diagnosis or treatment or even decisions related to preventing and protecting the community against the disease spread," Bakri noted.
The Chinese team of medical experts have visited some hospitals and isolation centers in Sudan, she said.
She further noted that the Chinese experts also met with Sudanese counterparts tasked with mapping out the protocols and plans for COVID-19 prevention and treatment.
Omer Gamar-Eddin, Sudan's state minister for foreign affairs, hailed China's support to Sudan.
"We thank the friendly state of China for this medical assistance and for the visit of the Chinese medical team which visited a number of medical sites in Sudan," Gamar-Eddin, who saw off the Chinese medical team at the Khartoum airport, told Xinhua.
"We hope the China-Sudan ties would continue, and we hope to continue working with the People's Republic of China in its work to support Sudan in its development and in the fields of health, education, agriculture and others," he added.
Chinese Ambassador to Sudan Ma Xinmin, for his part, told Xinhua that China and Sudan, as close friends and strategic partners, have worked together to fight the virus.
"In the future, the Chinese government will provide more assistance to Sudanese friends," said Ma, expressing the hope that the two countries would strengthen their cooperation in the field of public health and disease control.
Meanwhile, Hamza Awadalla, a Sudanese epidemiologist and community medicine specialist, said the visit of the Chinese medical team would certainly help Sudan develop its capabilities in containing the COVID-19 spread.
"China maintains huge accumulative experiences in the field of combating COVID-19 and the Chinese medical experts have certainly shared those experiences with the Sudanese sides," Awadalla told Xinhua.
"It is not surprising that China has sent a high-level medical delegation of highly experienced experts in fighting the coronavirus," said Awadalla, adding that "China always expresses its positive stances towards Sudan and its people."
The Chinese medical team arrived in the Sudanese capital Khartoum on May 28.
During their stay in Sudan, the experts exchanged with the Sudanese health officials, medical professionals and frontline medical workers the know-how and professional experience in COVID-19 prevention and containment, clinical treatment and coronavirus testing.
As of June 10, they have visited a total of 14 medical institutions, held 34 meetings, conducted on-site guidance seven times, trained 18 times, and trained more than 2,200 people.
In late March, the Chinese embassy in Sudan donated over 400,000 surgical masks to the Sudanese government.
On April 23, Chinese medical experts held a video conference with Sudanese counterparts to share China's experience in fighting COVID-19.
Sudan has so far reported a total of 6,582 COVID-19 cases, including 401 deaths and 2,202 recoveries.