The Chinese ambassador to The Gambia, His Excellency Ma Jianchun on 12 February 2020 met with Dr. Ahmadou Lamin Samateh, the minister of Health for the third time amid the outbreak of the novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19).

The Chinese diplomat and Gambian Health minister exchanged views on further strengthening communication and cooperation in preventing the outbreak in The Gambia.

Ambassador Ma briefed Dr. Samateh on his meeting with H.E. President Adama Barrow on Monday, 10 February, during which they discussed at length the joint efforts in preventing the COVID-19 in The Gambia. He also updated Dr. Samateh on new measures taken and progress made by the Chinese government in curbing the outbreak and treating infected patients. As of today, more than 160 medical teams and over 19,800 medical staff nationwide, including 14,000 nurses and many military medical personnel, have been dispatched to Hubei province, the epicenter of the pneumonia outbreak. Now in China, daily number of newly confirmed infection cases in regions outside Hubei province has been decreasing, and the number of infected persons traveling from China to other countries has been brought down to near zero. Ambassador Ma expressed appreciation to the Gambian government for its consistent solidarity with China in the battle against the COVID-19 outbreak. From what has been achieved so far, the Ambassador showed more confidence that China will soon win the battle.

Hon. Dr. Samateh once again expressed to Ambassador Ma the sympathy and solidarity from the Gambian side. He commended China for efficiently implementing effective control measures at home and conducting active cooperation with the international society since the very beginning of the outbreak. Hon. Dr. Samateh talked about the Gambia government’s new efforts in keeping the country free from the COVID-19 outbreak along with The Gambia’s development partners especially in terms of strengthening entry surveillance, capacity building and community sensitisation, etc. He expressed confidence that further communication and cooperation between his ministry and the Chinese Embassy will result in better prospects in effectively preventing the outbreak in The Gambia.

Ambassador Ma spoke highly of the efforts by the Gambian side in preventing the outbreak, expressed the willingness of the Chinese Embassy to stand together with the Gambian Ministry of Health in the battle against the novel coronavirus pneumonia. He further added that a new batch of medical supplies donated by the Chinese government, aiming at helping strengthening The Gambia’s public health system, has arrived at Banjul Port.