Members of China's medical team heading to the Union of Comoros pose for a group photo before their departure. [Photo by Yu Jing/chinanews.com]

A departure ceremony for a Chinese medical team setting off to the Union of Comoros was held in Nanning, capital of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, on March 16.

The medical team, which embarked on its journey the following day, will carry out medical work in Comoros for three months as part of international anti-COVID-19 pandemic cooperation efforts. 

The team was formed by the National Health Commission with 12 members from Guangxi hospitals and institutions, namely the Health Commission of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the Nanxishan Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the Guangxi Center for Disease Prevention and Control, and the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine. 

These members, all of whom have rich practical experience in fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic, come from areas such as foreign affairs management, critical medicine, respiratory medicine, public health, laboratory testing, traditional Chinese medicine, nursing and instrument maintenance.

During their three-month stay in Comoros, the medical team will participate in work such as medical treatment and pandemic prevention and control, in addition to sharing Chinese anti-pandemic experience with the Comoros authorities. 

China and Comoros have established a profound cooperation foundation and a deep friendship. The two countries have carried out cooperation on health for more than 20 years, since Guangxi dispatched the first medical team to the country in 1994. A total of 150 people in 14 teams have since been sent to Comoros to offer medical services for local people. 

The medical team took medical supplies donated by the country and a batch of anti-pandemic materials worth around 2 million yuan ($306,996) donated by the People's Government of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. This included surgical masks, medical protective shoe covers, medical disposable protective clothing, rapid detection equipment, and testing kits.