Chinese medical experts visit a government-designated hospital for COVID-19 patients' treatment in Vientiane, Laos, April 1, 2020. Soon after arriving in Laos on Sunday, the Chinese Anti-epidemic Medical Expert Team started to work, investigating epidemic situation and local medical condition, and assisting in detection and diagnosis of COVID-19. They joined hands with the Lao side in an effort to draw the country's anti-epidemic roadmap. (Chinese Anti-epidemic Medical Expert Team/Handout via Xinhua)
by Zhang Jianhua, He Wei
VIENTIANE, April 2 (Xinhua) -- Soon after arriving in Laos on Sunday, the Chinese Anti-epidemic Medical Expert Team started to work, investigating epidemic situation and local medical condition, and assisting in detection and diagnosis of COVID-19.
They joined hands with the Lao side in an effort to draw the country's anti-epidemic roadmap.
On Sunday, Somdy Douangdy, Lao deputy prime minister and chair of the Task Force Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, went to the Vientiane airport to receive the Chinese medical expert team.
On the arrival hall, the Lao deputy prime minister introduced the current situation of the epidemic in the country.
The sense of urgency of the Lao side has increased "our sense of mission," Huang Xingli, head of the Chinese medical expert team, told Xinhua on Wednesday.
After settling down in a hotel, Huang gathered all his 11 members to discuss working arrangements, and shortly after their first lunch in Laos, the Chinese experts went to the National Operations Center for COVID-19 in the Lao Ministry of Health to attend a special meeting.
At the meeting, Lao Deputy Health Minister Phouthone Moungpak and other officials introduced the existing mechanisms for imported risk prevention, coordination, supervision and testing situation, among others. The Lao side hoped that the Chinese expert team could offer guidance concerning the country's prevention and control of COVID-19 outbreak.
In the Lao Ministry of Health, Chinese experts participated in a meeting of the Lao epidemic prevention and control committee. They held talks with the line departments of the ministry, suggesting the Lao side to refine the tracking management of returning migrant workers and their close contacts, and to strengthen epidemic monitoring and situation reporting.
At the Lao National Center for Laboratory and Epidemiology in Vientiane, the Chinese medical expert team handed over donated medical materials to the Lao side. After installing, the Chinese experts conducted the first round of the testing experiments.
In the Lao government-designated hotel to treat COVID-19 cases, after discussions with local hospital directors and experts over the overall situation of the hospital and its epidemic prevention and control report, the Chinese expert team immediately decided to provide the Lao side with a revised procedure, and shared the diagnosis and treatment plan and experience of China with the Lao medical officials, experts and clinicians.
"We are to join the Lao side, to perfect its epidemic prevention and control system, to draw up a diagnosis and treatment guideline that suits the Lao situation. In short, it can be said that we are together to formulate a roadmap for the fight against the COVID-19 in Laos," Huang Xingli told Xinhua.
The Chinese medical team includes experts in various fields such as infection prevention and control, intensive care, epidemics, and laboratory testing. Along with them also came medical treatment, protective supplies and a batch of medicines donated by China's Yunnan Province.
The team came to Laos less than five days after the Lao side announced its first two confirmed COVID-19 cases on March 24 and asked for assistance from China.
Laos has detected 10 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of Thursday morning.
