An anti-malarial promotion exhibition was held in Beijing Sunday on the sidelines of the two-day Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

 

As President Hu Jintao proposed Saturday, over the next three years, China will help Africa build 30 hospitals and provide 300 million yuan (US$38 million) of grant for providing artemisinin and building 30 malaria prevention and treatment centers to fight malaria.

 

While providing anti-malaria drugs, China will also help Africans know how to use the medicines and train local doctors, said a senior official with Ministry of Commerce at the show featuring "friendship, peace, health and development.

 

China's pharmacy is also gearing up to help Africa to combat malaria, as a manager of a pharmacal company put it, "As soon as we receive orders from the government, we'll be getting ready to provide quality artemisinin for African countries."

 

"Besides, we are also willing to help set up malaria prevention and treatment centers in Africa," he added.

 

"These malaria prevention and treatment centers in Africa would serve to deepen cooperation and trade between China and African nations," said a director of another pharmacal company based in Beijing.

 

During the summit, a Shanghai-based pharmacy inked a four-million-yuan (US$508,194) contract with the Mozambique government on providing artemisinin. "We'll offer the best artemisinin at the best price for our African friends," said the company director Yan Xiaohua.

 

The localization of medicine production will be the next development strategy of his company, which is preparing to run two joint ventures in east and west parts of Africa, he noted.

 

The exhibition, as an important part of the landmark Beijing Summit, also highlights the achievements of the anti-malaria fight waged by the Chinese and African governments in the past three decades.

 

President Hu, 41 heads of state or government and senior officials of 48 African countries that have diplomatic ties with China, as well as representatives from regional and international organizations attended the gathering that concluded Sunday afternoon.

 

(Xinhua News Agency November 6, 2006)