Third batch of Chinese aid arrives in Baghdad to assist COVID-19 fight

The third batch of Chinese medical aid arrived on Monday in Baghdad as part of China's assistance to boost Iraq's capability to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.

Chinese medical aid supplies are unloaded from the plane at Baghdad International Airport in Baghdad, Iraq, April 20, 2020. The third batch of Chinese medical aid arrived on Monday in Baghdad as part of China's assistance to boost Iraq's capability to contain the COVID-19 outbreak. [Photo/Xinhua]

"The new batch of medical supplies are provided by the China International Development Cooperation Agency, which mainly include masks, protective clothing, goggles and nucleic acid testing kits," Chinese Ambassador to Iraq Zhang Tao told Xinhua at Baghdad International Airport.

"The medical facilities in Iraq are relatively weak under years of war and conflicts, and the Chinese government attaches great importance to cooperation with Iraq to contain the outbreak," Zhang said.

He said a team of Chinese medical experts has carried out in-depth work in Iraq, held 27 training sessions for Iraqi medical personnel and trained more than 1,000 medical personnel in the past two months.

Saif al-Badr, spokesperson for the Iraqi Ministry of Health, expressed high appreciation for the efforts made by China in supporting Iraq to confront the coronavirus, praising the Chinese team of experts and their great efforts.

He told Xinhua that the previous batches of Chinese aid have contributed to increasing Iraq's capacity to diagnose the coronavirus.

On March 7, China sent the first batch of medical aid to Iraq, with a medical team of seven Chinese experts to work with their Iraqi counterparts to fight the coronavirus, while the second batch of aid arrived on April 8.

As of April 20, Iraqi Health Ministry confirmed a total of 1,539 COVID-19 cases and 82 deaths across the country.