Janet Wanga

Following the scary emergence and spread of the Novel coronavirus, medically known as Covid-19, in Wuhan, China has rolled out one of the most ambitious, aggressive, and effective disease containment measures in history.

Indeed, once the pandemic has been brought down, the world is bound to seek China’s lessons learnt in addressing crisis of such a global nature.  

China has offered medical material aid to countries at every level of the global socio-economic strata, from the first world to the developing countries.

But also coming from the realisation that information is power, China is following this up with knowledge and information sharing. 

Indeed, the latter is the most important aspect in early warning, preparedness, and even management of the fast-spreading virus.

In less than two months, China’s proactive approach in curbing the spread of Covid-19 has averted a major catastrophe, both nationally and internationally.

 At the core of this strategy has been the creative use of the three classic principles of infectious disease prevention and control. These include controlling the source of infection, cutting the route of transmission, and protecting vulnerable groups.

 Indeed, China has breathed life to the scary ‘lockdown’ term, showing that it is neither a life nor death sentence!

Following this success, the first China-Africa video conference for responding to the virus was held on March 18.

According to official Chinese sources, almost 300 health experts from 24 countries, including the ministers of health from Kenya, Ethiopia, and Libya participated in the forum.

The Chinese team introduced to their overseas counterparts the latest protocols in treating Covid-19, including prevention and control strategies.

Further, the African teams learned how to undertake efficient customs border inspection for both humans and cargo. 

During the three-and-a-half-hour teleconference, Chinese experts fielded about 50 questions from multi-sectoral audiences in 24 African countries. 

Kenya’s Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe observed that the initiative was a crucial step in knowledge-sharing among the people on the front line of managing the pandemic.

 March 18, 2020 was an exemplary day in China’s continuing fight to ensure the total eradication of Covid-19 in the country.

In the epicentre of the virus in Wuhan, and the larger Hubei Province, there were neither new nor suspected recorded cases.

Most impressively, there were no new local transmission cases in China’s mainland. 

China has expressed her desire to continue sharing the vast amount of information and experience it  has gathered in order to support African countries, and the world at large, deal with the pandemic.

In addition, China is leveraging its deeply ingrained ties with various media outlets in Africa to share its Covid-19 experience.

Using these channels, the world will be fully informed of what the WHO described as a unique and unprecedented public health response.  — The writer comments  on social issues.