Chongqing- At the invitation of the Algerian government, in the early morning of May 14, the Chinese government sent an expert group to Algeria to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The expert group was established by the National Health Commission and was jointly selected by the Chongqing Municipal People's Government and the Macao SAR Government.

There are a total of 20 members in the expert group. Fifteen experts were selected from Chongqing, and most members had prevention and control experience from the COVID-19 epidemic in Chongqing. The professional fields include respiratory, severe, infection, intracardiac, Chinese medicine, laboratory testing, epidemiology, nursing, etc. Five experts were selected to be experts in the epidemiology and emergency department of the Macau International Emergency Medical Team. They were from the Macau Health Bureau, CHCSJ General Hospital and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

The 20 members of the expert group have all participated in the frontline prevention and treatment of the epidemic prevention in Hubei province.

The medical expert group has set up four technical working groups including medical treatment, prevention and control, detection, and nursing. The expert group leader is Guo Shuliang, professor and chief physician of the Department of Respiratory Medicine of the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University. The medical team members have the ability to independently operate tracheal intubation, the use of invasive and non-invasive ventilators, CRRT, and ECMO rescue; the prevention and control, detection group has the policy guidance for epidemic prevention, epidemiological investigation, experimental actual detection, hospital infection prevention and control, infectious diseases, as well as the ability to standardize the treatment process and provide personal protection guidance. Nursing team members have the ability to operate and nursing critical care equipment such as intensive care and renal dialysis.

According to the work plan, after the expert group arrives in Algeria, under the leadership of the Chinese Embassy in Algeria, it will conduct extensive and in-depth exchanges with Algerians on prevention and control measures for COVID-19, clinical treatment techniques, laboratory testing, etc. At the same time, the expert group will also carry out pandemic prevention and control training for Algerians, and guide the epidemic prevention and control of Chinese-funded institutions and overseas Chinese in Afghanistan to enhance their self-protection capabilities. As part of the Chinese government’s support for the international community, it will make efforts to fight the pandemic, the Anti-pandemic Medical Expert Group in Algeria will uphold the concept of a community of human destiny, actively leverage its own professional and technical advantages, further deepen China-Algeria health exchange cooperation, and make joint efforts to safeguard international public health.

In order to help Algeria fight the COVID-19 pandemic, Chongqing has donated a batch of medical and anti-pandemic materials to Algeria, including medical protective clothing, masks, goggles and other medical protective materials. These materials will arrive in Algeria along with the expert group and will be transferred to the Algerian government and Chinese embassy in Algeria.