On December 23rd, in Dakar, the capital of Senegal, the Minister of Health and Public Health of Senegal, Ibrahima Xi, delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the 50th anniversary commemorative photo exhibition of the Chinese medical team assisting Senegal. Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Papa Demba Gaye)

Dakar, December 23 (Xinhua) -- Exclusive interview with Ibrahima Xi, Minister of Health and Public Health of Senegal, on the promotion of structural transformation of the healthcare system through medical cooperation between Senegal and China

Xinhua News Agency reporter Chen Chen

Senegal's Minister of Health and Public Health, Ibrahima Xi, stated in an interview with Xinhua News Agency on the 23rd that medical cooperation between Senegal and China has become an important force in promoting the overall improvement of Senegal's health system, playing a profound role in improving public health conditions, enhancing medical service capabilities, and cultivating local medical personnel.

Chinese medical teams have long been rooted in many parts of Senegal, especially in remote areas where medical resources are relatively scarce, providing stable and accessible medical services to local people, "Xi told reporters at the opening ceremony of the 50th anniversary commemorative photo exhibition of the Chinese medical team's aid to Senegal on the same day." This cooperation is not only reflected in the aspect of medical treatment, but also in the long-term construction of the health system

He introduced that the Chinese medical team assisting Senegal, as an important carrier of medical cooperation between the two countries, started from Zijinsha'er in southern Senegal and gradually expanded to other regions, forming a stable service network in different areas. This gradual approach to promoting cooperation closely integrates medical assistance with local practical needs and provides strong support for the regional balanced layout of medical resources in Senegal.

He also said that the medical cooperation between the two countries has yielded fruitful results in infrastructure and capacity building. The Jamniyaja Children's Hospital, built with the assistance of the Chinese government, has now become an important center for pediatric diagnosis and treatment in Senegal, significantly improving the level of local children's medical services.

"On this basis, the two countries also extended the focus of cooperation to the field of medical personnel training, and continued to improve the professional ability of medical personnel through the combination of training in China and medical cooperation in Serbia." Xi also mentioned that China's experience in modern medicine and traditional medicine has provided Senegal with useful lessons, and Chinese medicine acupuncture and moxibustion and other treatments are gradually integrated into Senegal's medical system, effectively enriching local medical service means.

In his view, an important characteristic of the medical cooperation between Serbia and China is always to focus on capacity building rather than one-time assistance. Through long-term deployment of medical teams, technical exchanges, and personnel training, cooperation has gradually become a part of Senegal's own healthcare system capabilities, laying the foundation for the sustainable development of local public health services.

He said that the medical cooperation between Senegal and China adheres to the pragmatic concept of putting people's health at the center, taking into account both practical needs and long-term development. "This cooperation continues to advance and deepen, promoting the structural transformation of Senegal's medical system

Xi emphasized that the practice of medical cooperation between Serbia and China has shown that only by continuously promoting cooperation around the actual needs of the people can long-term results be achieved in improving medical services and public health conditions. This is the most valuable and worthwhile experience for both sides to continue their cooperation. He looks forward to further strengthening cooperation with China in medical technology upgrading, professional talent training, and other areas to better meet the public's demand for health services.

Since 1975, Fujian Province of China has been sending foreign medical aid teams to Senegal. Over the past 50 years, Fujian has sent 20 batches of medical teams to Senegal.

Editor: Tang Yun