ACHEST to research on China-Africa health cooperation

Prof. Omaswa, the ACHEST director receiving a gift from Yang Hongwei, the CNHDRC the Acting Director General

Prof. Omaswa, the ACHEST director receiving a gift from Yang Hongwei, the CNHDRC the Acting Director GeneralThe African Center for Global Health and Social Transformation (ACHEST), will be conducting research on South-South Cooperation in Health.

The research is part of the China-UK Global Health Support Programme, which aims to deepen global health development cooperation between China and Africa. This will contribute to improving the quality of health care with China’s increasing participation in global health.

The research project was launched during a two-day visit to China by ACHEST leadership from April 22-23, 2014. This was at the invitation of China-UK Global Health Support Program. ACHEST was represented by a four-member delegation that included Prof. Francis Omaswa, Dr. Patrick Kadama, Dr. Peter Eriki and Solome Mukwaya.

The China-UK Global Health Support Program is a partnership between China’s ministry of Commerce and the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) and is funded by UK’s Department for International Development (DFID).

ACHEST is partnering with China National Health Development Research Center (CNHDRC) who will undertake research, consultation and capacity building for Chinese institutions. These activities aim at improving Chinese officials and researchers’ understanding of best practices in international health development cooperation. During the visit, the ACHEST team held talks with representatives of the China-UK Global Health Support Program led by Yang Hongwei, the CNHDRC the Acting Director General. The Project Director will be Dr. Wang Yunping

During the visit, Prof Omaswa made a presentation on the “Gains and challenges of financial aid to Africa”, while Dr. Kadama, ACHEST’s Director of Health Policy, presented on ACHEST’s role in the project as well as its budgetary implications.
Prof. Liu Peilong, the Director of the Department of Global Health, Sschool of Public Health at Peking University held discussions with ACHEST with a view of forging partnerships in the future.

Lu Guoping from CNHDRC’s division of European and American affairs, department of international cooperation said: “China has achieved a lot but developing alone is not enough, we would like to assist developing countries to achieve their targets.” However, Guoping added that China needs to build her capacity further in order to support the world.

Other meetings
ACHEST delegation also held a meeting with Dr. Martin Taylor the Technical officer - health systems developmentat the World Health Organization - China and QiaoJianrong Senior Health Adviser from the DFID China Office.

The team also paid a courtesy call on the Ugandan Ambassador to ChinaH. E. Amb. Charles Madibo Wagidoso and the Counselor Simon Ajiku.