China is dispatching its 16th medical team to Madagascar on
November 4, a health official announced on Monday.
The medical team consists of 30 experienced doctors from
northwest China's Gansu Province, said Hou Shenghua, chief of the
provincial health bureau.
Doctors of the team are experts in internal medicine, surgery,
orthopaedics and gynecology, said Hou.
Gansu has sent 15 medical teams comprising 444 doctors to
Madagascar since 1975.
The new team is to replace the 15th group who have served in
Madagascar for two years.
China has sent a total of 15,000 medical personnel to 47 African
nations and regions since the dispatch of its first medical team to
Algeria in 1963, according to the Foreign Ministry.
A total of 170 million Africans have received treatment from
Chinese doctors. About 950 Chinese medical staff are currently
working in 36 African nations.
(Xinhua News Agency October 31, 2006)
