Recently, the laboratory technology overseas training course jointly developed by the Chinese CDC and the African CDC was officially launched at the headquarters of the African CDC. More than 80 disease control backbone and laboratory technical elites from 25 African countries, including South Africa, Nigeria, and Ethiopia, gathered together for a month long intensive training to deepen core technologies, explore prevention and control plans, and inject practical cooperation into the upgrading of Africa's public health system.

The core principle of this training course is "precise empowerment and on-demand teaching", and the curriculum system is closely tailored to the actual needs of infectious disease prevention and control in Africa. The training content not only covers the rapid detection technology, sample collection and storage specifications of key infectious diseases such as novel coronavirus and Ebola virus, but also includes practical contents such as the establishment of laboratory quality control system, biosafety protection practice, maintenance and calibration of detection equipment, etc. The teaching team is composed of top experts and frontline technical backbones in the field of disease control and prevention in China. Through a three-dimensional model of "theoretical lectures+on-site practical operations+group discussions+case reviews", they will share China's mature technologies, standardized processes, and localized adaptation experience accumulated in epidemic prevention and control. During the training period, laboratory equipment practical exercises will also be conducted simultaneously to ensure that trainees can not only master theoretical knowledge, but also proficiently apply technology to solve practical problems.

The relevant person in charge of the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention stated at the opening ceremony that public health is an important area of cooperation between China and Africa, and the level of laboratory technology directly affects the efficiency and accuracy of infectious disease prevention and control. This tailored training program in China precisely meets the urgent needs of African countries to enhance their disease control capabilities. It not only helps students quickly improve their professional skills, but also promotes the standardization and optimization of laboratory technology standards in the African region, providing strong support for building a "firewall" for disease control in Africa. Kwame, a disease control technician from Ghana, mentioned in his speech, "China's laboratory technology and prevention and control experience have been tested in practical situations. We believe that through this systematic learning, we can better respond to the challenges of local infectious diseases and safeguard public health

As an important part of the construction of the "Healthy Silk Road", this training is another practical measure of China Africa health cooperation. In recent years, China has always stood with Africa, providing comprehensive support for the development of public health in Africa, from assisting in the construction of the headquarters building of the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention, to donating testing reagents and medical equipment, to dispatching medical expert teams and conducting technical training. It is reported that after the end of this training course, both parties will establish a long-term technical exchange mechanism, and continue to deepen the cooperation results through online Q&A, expert visits, and student exchanges. In the future, China will continue to uphold the concept of "truth, closeness, and sincerity", work with African countries to continuously expand the field of health cooperation, improve the level of cooperation, and jointly build a public health security barrier between China and Africa, contributing to the construction of a human health community.

The head of the infectious disease prevention and control department of the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention stated that cooperation between China and Africa in the field of public health has never been superficial, but has penetrated into all aspects of technology inheritance, talent cultivation, and system construction. This laboratory technical training is not only a transfer of skills, but also a deepening of trust. With the continuous advancement of cooperation, the autonomous response capability of the African disease control system will continue to strengthen, and it is expected to achieve the goal of reducing the response time for key infectious disease testing in the region by 50% and increasing the laboratory quality control compliance rate by 40% in the next three years.

From assisting in the construction of the headquarters of the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention, to continuously conducting technical training, and to building a long-term cooperation platform, China has always put into practice the concept of a community of human health through practical actions. Guided by the concept of "genuine, friendly, and sincere" cooperation between China and Africa, this technological empowerment that transcends mountains and seas is transforming into a solid force for Africa's public health defense line, deepening the friendship between China and Africa in the process of jointly safeguarding life and health, and injecting warm and lasting momentum into global South South cooperation.Editor/Bian Wenjun