Members of a Chinese medical expert team discuss the Ebola response with representatives of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), on June 9, 2026. A Chinese medical expert team on Tuesday met with representatives of the IFRC in Kinshasa to discuss the Ebola epidemic situation, prevention and control needs, and potential areas of cooperation. (Xinhua)

KINSHASA, June 9 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese medical expert team on Tuesday met with representatives of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), to discuss the Ebola epidemic situation, prevention and control needs, and potential areas of cooperation.

Lu Ming, head of the Chinese team, expressed the willingness to strengthen cooperation with Congolese health authorities, medical institutions, disease control agencies, and international partners, including the IFRC.

He said that the team would work to identify the real needs on the ground as soon as possible in terms of prevention, control, and case management, and provide support in analyzing the development of the epidemic, treating cases, laboratory testing, and prevention and control training, in a bid to rein in the epidemic at an early date.

Sonia Maraisse, IFRC operations manager in Kinshasa, thanked the Chinese government for sending the medical expert team, saying that the IFRC is ready to strengthen communication and coordination with the Chinese side.

The IFRC welcomed the support that the Chinese expert team could provide in epidemic prevention training, especially targeted training and support at the grassroots community level, to help improve community-level capacity for detection, prevention, and response, Maraisse noted.

The five-member Chinese expert team arrived in Kinshasa on June 2 for a three-month mission in the DRC to support the fight against the Ebola epidemic.

The World Health Organization declared on May 17 that the Ebola epidemic constituted a public health emergency of international concern. On June 1, China's National Health Commission announced the dispatch of a high-level medical team to support the DRC in its fight against Ebola. ■

Members of a Chinese medical expert team discuss the Ebola response with representatives of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), on June 9, 2026. A Chinese medical expert team on Tuesday met with representatives of the IFRC in Kinshasa to discuss the Ebola epidemic situation, prevention and control needs, and potential areas of cooperation. (Xinhua)