On April 26, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin hosted a regular press conference. A reporter asked a question. On April 25, the 50th anniversary of artemisinin and the International Forum on Helping to Build a Community of Human Health was held in Beijing. Can the spokesperson provide more information?
Wang Wenbin said that this forum was co-organized by the China International Development Cooperation Agency, the National Health Commission and the Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Fifty years ago, Chinese scientists represented by Tu Youyou took the lead in discovering and successfully extracting artemisinin through unremitting efforts, creating a new method of malaria treatment and significantly reducing the mortality rate of malaria patients. Artemisinin is a success story of mankind’s arduous struggle against diseases, and it is also a successful practice of China’s commitment to promoting the building of a community of health for mankind, working together with the vast number of developing countries, and benefiting the world through its own development. Since the advent of artemisinin, it has helped China completely eliminate malaria. At the same time, China has also extended a helping hand to the world and carried out large-scale international anti-malarial assistance with artemisinin as the core. By the end of 2021, China has provided billions of doses of artemisinin medicines, trained tens of thousands of anti-malarial technicians for developing countries, assisted in the construction of malaria prevention and control centers for 30 countries, and dispatched medical personnel to 72 developing countries. 28,000 foreign aid medical team members widely use artemisinin drugs and therapy to prevent and treat malaria. Artemisinin has become a bright business card for China’s “small but beautiful” foreign aid projects.
Wang Wenbin said that China has actively promoted the application of artemisinin to the world, which has saved the lives of millions of people around the world, especially in developing countries, and has made important contributions to global malaria control and maintenance of human health. According to the World Health Organization, about 240 million people in sub-Saharan Africa alone benefit from artemisinin combination therapy. From Asia to Africa, from Europe to America, countless lives have been saved because of artemisinin, and countless families have been cared for because of artemisinin.
Wang Wenbin emphasized that at present, malaria is still threatening the health of people in many countries, and the new crown epidemic is still the biggest challenge facing the international community. China calls on all countries to put aside their differences, unite as one, and strive to eliminate major infectious diseases such as malaria, win the global fight against the new crown epidemic, and improve the international health governance system. China is willing to work with the international community to intensify exchanges and cooperation in the field of public health, jointly respond to global threats and challenges, promote the joint construction of a community of health for all, and make greater contributions to safeguarding the health of people in all countries. (CCTV reporter Zhu Ruomeng Kong Luyuan)