A visiting delegation from China’s Anhui Province has signed cooperation agreements with South Sudan’s Ministry of Health and a local university aimed at strengthening health cooperation in areas that advance health and well-being of communities.

The five-member delegation led by Shan Xiang Qian, Party Chief of Anhui Provincial Health Commission, inked an agreement with South Sudan’s Ministry of Health on Friday to enhance knowledge sharing, capacity building, and exchange programs.

The Chinese team donated medicine to South Sudan’s main referral hospital, Juba Teaching Hospital, where the seventh batch of the China Medical team is stationed.

“What we did in the past years is not enough. There is still a lot to be done for the local people according to the agreements between our two sides,” said Shan.

Shan said the new cooperation agreements would enable the Chinese doctors working in South Sudan to continue providing free medical care and capacity building services.

The Chinese delegation also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for capacity building and knowledge sharing agreement with the University of Upper Nile, a leading public institution in South Sudan.

“The objective of this MOU is for the training of medical doctors and for the Chinese also to benefit from our local environment in which they will be able to treat some diseases which are not in China,” said Marial Awou Yol, Vice-Chancellor of Upper Nile University.

China has provided material and technical support to South Sudan to help the world’s youngest republic deal with health-related challenges.

Phase one of the China-aided project for modernization and expansion of health facilities in South Sudan is nearing conclusion.

Beijing and Juba enjoys good ties in the health sector, and the new agreements will help cement the existing ties, according to Shan.

“Through the training by the two sides, more and more talents and medical skills will be passed by the China medical team and also build ties and cooperation between the two countries,” said Shan.