Chinese experts communicate with Adham Rashad Ismail Abdel Moneim (L), acting WHO representative in Iraq, in Baghdad, Iraq, March 10, 2020. A team of seven Chinese experts have been busy visiting Iraqi hospitals and talking with health experts and officials to help the war-torn Mideast country's health system cope with COVID-19. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood)
BAGHDAD, March 12 (Xinhua) -- A team of seven Chinese experts have been busy visiting Iraqi hospitals and talking with health experts and officials to help the war-torn Mideast country's health system cope with COVID-19.
The Chinese experts, dispatched by the Red Cross Society of China, arrived on Sunday night and also brought with them medical equipment and 50,000 test kits. Their advice and the urgently-needed medical supplies are expected to significantly improve Iraq's coronavirus detection capacity.
"We will try to help contain the outbreak from the early stage," said team leader Tao Zhongquan, adding that the aim for Iraq is to achieve early detection, early isolation, early diagnosis and early treatment.
As of Wednesday, 73 cases have been confirmed in Iraq, including at least seven deaths. The infections were reported in 14 of Iraq's 18 provinces, with Baghdad, the capital of more than 7 million people, being the hardest hit.
MOUNTING CHALLENGE
After a field investigation, Chinese expert Han Mengjie said Iraq is at "the early stage" of its COVID-19 outbreak, and a strong response may curb a spread of the virus, with the Chinese working with the Iraqi government to help curb it.
With all schools and universities suspended, Iraq has recently stepped up containment measures including closing cinemas, cafes, clubs, and other public places.
However, the Chinese experts have found that due to an absence of national planning on infectious disease prevention and control, Iraq's hospitals lack support as well as more efficient channels to report information.
Han said he is "not optimistic" about the prospects for curbing the coronavirus outbreak in Iraq, citing hidden dangers such as loopholes in the control of its long border with Iran, the worst-hit country in the Middle East.
The Chinese expert said that some effective measures have been taken in Iraq, but the coronavirus can spread very quickly, calling for a more decisive response.
At the national level, Iraq should also establish a mechanism for joint prevention and control, formulate a national response plan, and improve the implementation of anti-virus measures in communities, he added.
BOOST TO CAPACITY
After years of war, Iraq's healthcare system is fragile, suffering from heavy damages to hospitals and other medical infrastructure, as well as a shortage of medical professionals and supplies.
According to the Iraqi Health Ministry, the country has previously completed about 700 sample tests using donations from the World Health Organization (WHO). A gap between the number of suspected cases and the limited testing capacity has denied Iraqis a full picture of the country's overall COVID-19 situation.
Health Minister Jaafar Sadiq Allawi on Monday praised China's boost of Iraq's medical capabilities to battle the COVID-19 outbreak.
Allawi's comments came during his meeting in Baghdad with Chinese Ambassador to Iraq Zhang Tao and the team of Chinese experts, according to a ministry statement.
"The health ministry is seeking to develop the capabilities of prevention, awareness and treatment of coronavirus by cooperation with the Chinese team of experts," he was quoted as saying.
Han said Chinese experts will also share with Iraqis China's experience on how to save lives from the coronavirus and avoid infection among medical staff.
Adham Rashad Ismail Abdel Moneim, acting WHO representative in Iraq, said that in addition to the virus test kits, the clinical practices and guidelines in China's anti-virus efforts are a valuable resource in Iraq's fight against the virus.
