Honorable Dr. Jane MaCauley, Director General of the NPHIL,

Respected Dr. Musu Julie Duworko, Deputy Representative of WHO Liberia Office,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good afternoon! Welcome to this event. Wish everyone a happy new year!

Last October when I met with Dr. Clement Lugala Peter, the WHO Representative in Liberia, we learned about the out-of-stock situation of the Lassa fever medication in Liberia. Shortly afterwards, our Embassy received the formal request from the National Public Health of Liberia (NPHIL) for assistance of both ribavirin injections and tablets.

The Chinese government has attached this matter with great importance, and made a special arrangement to urgently procure and transport a consignment of 9,090 packs of ribavirin injection and 1,200 packs of ribavirin tablets to support Liberia in tackling the ongoing Lassa fever outbreak. I would like to thank the China Medical Team which has been collaborating with their counterparts at JFK Medical Center to fight the pandemic and providing medical services to the Liberian people, for assisting this timely procurement and transportation.

Today on behalf of the Chinese government, we are pleased to formally hand over the Lassa fever medication to the Liberian side to help meet the needs and treat the Lass fever patients in Liberia.

Ladies and gentlemen,

COVID-19 is raging across the world, posing huge threat to the well-beings and health safety of peoples of all countries. China and Liberia are good brothers and have supported each other in fighting the pandemic as we did in the fight against Ebola. We highly appreciate the support rendered by Liberia to China and the facilitation in the nucleic acid tests for and treatment of infected Chinese nationals working and living in Liberia.

China is the first to offer assistance to Liberia and her people on their fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The Chinese government including local provinces, Jack Ma and Alibaba Charity Foundations as well as our Embassy and the Chinese community in Liberia have donated several batches of medical and livelihood materials to Liberia, including nucleic acid testing kits, masks, sampling kits and extraction kits, ventilators and Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) and Infrared Thermometers, hand sanitizers, rice, cooking oil, etc.

Today, the Embassy will donate another 1,800 pieces of PPEs to the Liberian government through the NPHIL, hoping the public health workers could be better protected while fighting in the front-line.

Meanwhile, the Chinese side has been working together with the Liberian side to build up the cooperation mechanism between the pair-up hospitals, i.e. Heilongjiang Provincial Hospital and the JFK Medical Center, and very soon we will make a medical equipment donation to the JFK Medical Center. We also welcome Liberia to jointly develop COVID vaccine with China. In addition, the Chinese government has collaborated with the international organizations such as UNICEF and WFP to deliver food and nutrition programs in Liberia to support the affected women and children by COVID-19.

In the future, the Chinese side will continue to steadily work with the Liberian side in the area of health and jointly build a global community of health for all.

Thank you.