On June 15, China’s anti-epidemic medical expert team met with officials of United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and inspected the Um Ali refugee camp clinic.
Khaled Al-Rai, head of the UNRWA's preventive medical services, welcomed the team's visit to Palestine and spoke highly of China's achievements in epidemic prevention and control, saying that as a large country with a population of 1.4 billion, it was not easy and admirable for China to control the epidemic in a short period of time. He expressed appreciation for China's important role in international cooperation against Covid-19, sharing information and experience in epidemic response with the rest of the world as soon as possible, and donating supplies and sending expert teams to countries including Palestine, demonstrating China's responsibility as a major country in global public health. Rai gave a detailed introduction to the history of UNRWA, work in Palestine, achievements and difficulties it faced, and asked questions of the expert team on China's experience in fighting Covid-19, the current situation of the epidemic response in China, the mutation of the virus, the principles of nucleic acid testing and the development of vaccines in China.
Hu Peng, head of the expert team, said that the UNRWA, as the main international organization providing assistance to Palestinian refugees, has played a key role in helping Palestine fight the epidemic. The clinics established by the UNRWA have achieved good results by establishing electronic archives and medical records systems, setting up epidemic consultation helplines, and the promotion of Covid-19 protection knowledge to the public in the context of Palestinian culture have been effective. Hu Peng introduced the work of the expert team to Palestine, and positively evaluated the achievements of the Palestinian government in the fight against Covid-19. He hoped that China and Palestine will establish a long-term medical cooperation mechanism and contribute to international cooperation against epidemic diseases.
The expert team also visited the UNRWA’s clinics and community centres in Um Ali refugee camp.