by Raphael Mvogo
YAOUNDE, (Xinhua) — Cameroon is bracing the opening of a China-funded malaria research center in the coming days, the first of a series to be set up in Africa.
“According to the agreement signed with the Cameroonian government, it’s the Gyneco-obstetric Hospital of Yaounde which will house this structure, a donation by the Chinese government,” Shen Yi, a Chinese embassy official, told Xinhua in a recent interview.
“This is the first time that the People’s Republic of Chine has set up a malaria research center in Africa. China used to send medical teams to African countries, for example, those deployed at the Gyneco-obstetric Hospital of Yaounde, the hospital of Mbalmayo and the hospital of Guider,” said the Chinese economic and commercial counsellor.
The Chinese official made the remarks ahead of an opening ceremony for the project of 3 million yuan (439,239 U.S. dollars) and the arrival of four Chinese experts on a rotating mission of 50 days.
“Each year, China sends an expert mission to work on the ground for about 55 days. But at the center, there will be a mixed mission of Chinese technical team and Cameroonian team” to share the experience gained in China against the disease, Shen said.
“The climate in China, especially in the southern provinces, is identical to that of the sub-Saharan African countries. Malaria used to be severe there. Now it’s no longer the case. The government has invested much in the scientific research. We’ve been able to provide effective treatment against the disease. The government tends to share the benefits of this research with friendly African countries,” the Chinese official said.
“Malaria is a big problem for health. It kills a large number of people. The Chinese government has decided to donate such research centers to 14 African countries,” he added.
Cameroon is one of the worst hit by the disease in Africa. According to the Health Ministry, malaria “constitutes the first cause of morbidity in the country.”
A survey conducted in 2004 by the country’s national program against malaria indicated that children under five and pregnant women are the most vulnerable to the disease, representing 22 percent of Cameroon’s 17 million population.
Malaria, a disease spread by mosquitoes, kills over 880,000 people worldwide each year, according to the World Health Organization. It is particularly serious in Africa where one in every five childhood deaths is due to the disease.
The anti-malaria program launched by the Cameroonian government aspires to reduce by half the morbidity and its mortality by 2010 in conformity with the UN Millennium Development Goals.
“China has done much for Cameroon, especially in this fight against malaria. Each year, there are at least two Cameroonian medics going to China for a month-long course on malaria. In 2008,for example, the director of the fight against malaria (from the Health Ministry) and one of my colleagues participated in this session of training,” said Dr. Prosper Ndong, permanent secretary of the national program against malaria.
“This is a cooperation which has lasted for a long time. With this research center to be opened, we expect there will be even more training,” he added.
Two Chinese firms- Overseas construction (CGC) and China Aero technology International Engineering (CATIC) have been chosen for the of two cement and fertilizer production plants in Cameroon next year, an official source told APA.