China donates medical equipment, supplies to Jamaica

KINGSTON, May 22 (Xinhua) -- China donated on Friday medical equipment and supplies worth of 400,000 U.S. dollars to Jamaica.

Chinese Ambassador to Jamaica Dong Xiaojun made the donation on behalf the Chinese government.

Receiving the donations at the Kingston Public Hospital, Jamaica's Minister of Health Fenton Ferguson expressed thanks for China's "generosity", saying the assistance would enhance Jamaican government's capability to provide medical care and increase Jamaican people's access to health service.

Ferguson and Dong greeted a group of Chinese eye doctors who are to perform free cataract surgeries on some 200 Jamaican patients at the state hospital as part of the Chinese government's medical aid project Bright Journey.

"The Ministry of Health welcomes the visit of Chinese medical mission, which is another demonstration of the strong partnership between Jamaica and China," Ferguson said.

"We are very pleased to see a number of Jamaican people benefiting from free cataract surgeries, among other clinical activities performed by Chinese doctors and it's sure that the equipment and supplies donated by China will benefit even more," he added.

Albert Lue, an ophthalmologist at the Kingston Public Hospital, told Xinhua the medical equipment donated by the Chinese government has been badly needed by his department and would help local eye doctors reduce risks when performing cataract surgeries.

Since 2003, China's Bright Journey project has benefited up to 300 million eye patients in more than 70 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean and Oceania.

The aid project was extended to cover Caribbean countries in 2013 following talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Caribbean leaders in Trinidad and Tobago.

By the end of 2014, China has sent 65 medical professionals out of a total of 100 planned to the Bahamas, Dominica, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago, either to work regularly at hospitals or to provide short-term medical services.