New plan for health cooperation in works

Fighting infectious diseases, including AIDS, will remain a priority in health cooperation between China and African countries, a senior health official said.

A new plan for China-Africa health cooperation was under discussion during the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation on Monday and Tuesday. A key part of the plan is to help African countries improve public health through better control and prevention of infectious diseases such as AIDS, malaria and schistosomiasis or snail fever, said Feng Yong, deputy director of the International Cooperation Department of the National Health Commission.

China will continue its decadeslong assistance to African nations - such as training medical staff and improving medical facilities - to help them fight infectious diseases, he said.