"Reform and improvements will be carried out in distribution, timing and service fields to ensure medical assistance meets changing demand," said Niu Zhongjun, deputy director of the International Exchange and Cooperation Center.

He made the remarks in an exclusive interview with China Daily yesterday to mark the 40th anniversary of China sending its first medical team to assist Algeria.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao exchanged congratulatory messages with Algerian counterpart Ali Benflis to mark the anniversary.

In the past 40 years, a total of 18,000 visits have been made by Chinese to 65 countries and regions of Asia, Africa, America and Europe, Niu noted.

A total of 42 medical teams with 1,100 medical workers are working in 40 countries and regions of the world currently, including 35 in Africa.

Wen said the arrival of the first Chinese medical team in Algeria 40 years ago ushered in a new era of cooperation between the nation and other developing countries.

Over the past four decades, Chinese doctors working with Algerian colleagues have worked to cure sicknesses, heal the wounded and rescue the dying in Algeria, Wen said.

China has made great efforts in the past 40 years to ensure that doctors sent to Africa and other regions were outstanding in their expertise, Niu noted.

But some problems have appeared over time. It became increasingly difficult to invite high-calibre doctors who had more favourable wages and working conditions to work in assisted areas for a long period of time - usually two to three years.

Chinese health authorities have decided to shorten the working term of each medical team to three to five months.

It is hoped this will attract more high-calibre doctors to meet the increasing demand from overseas for medical professionals.

High-quality medical teams will also travel to several countries in this period instead of just staying in one country as being the case in the past.

Minister Ali Benflis said within a few months of gaining independence on April 16, 1963, Algeria received the first Chinese medical team to assist the country.

Local Algerian people have given great support to Chinese medical workers, and deep friendship has been established between the two sides, said Yin Changzhuo, a 52-year doctor from the Medical College of Wuhan University of central China's Hubei Province, who visited Algeria between 1997 and 1999.

(China Daily April 17, 2003)