Chongqing – on May 15, 2020, Chongqing and Barbados held the webinar at Chongqing Municipal Government’s Foreign and & Overseas Office. Qu Qian, the vice mayor of Chongqing, Yan Xiusheng, the Chinese Ambassador to Barbados, and the medical expert group from hospitals and officers from the Ministry of Health and Wellness Barbados, have attended this experience exchange meeting.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Barbados presents its compliments to the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Barbados and has the honor to refer to the latter's offer to the Ministry of Health and Wellness to share, via video meeting, the experience of Chinese doctors with respect to the treatment of COVID19 patients.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade extends heartfelt gratitude on behalf of the Ministry of Health and Wellness and indeed on behalf of the Government of Barbados to the Government of the People's Republic of China for this kind overture.

Further, in line with Barbados’ request that the Ministry of Health and Wellness highlights its exact training needs, the below areas have been included in the webinar:

Surveillance and diagnosis of persons with COVID-19;

Contact tracing and containment strategies;

General management of COVID-19 cases; and ICU management of COVID-19.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Barbados, the Chinese government has donated three batches of medical supplies to Barbados, including 7,000 surgical face masks, 5,000 N95 respirators, 8,450 gloves, 4,530 goggles, 4,500 gowns, 1,000 pairs of shoe covers, 250 infrared thermometers and 1 ventilator. In addition, Jack Ma and Alibaba Foundations donated 2 ventilators, 1,536 test kits, and 30,000 surgical face masks to Barbados.

“Since the outbreak of COVID-19, China has been acting in an open, transparent and responsible manner, timely informing the WHO and the international community of the epidemic situation, including releasing the genetic sequence of the virus as soon as possible, and sharing its experience in prevention, control, and treatment with all parties, which has been widely praised by the international community,” said Mr. Yan Xiusheng.

The Chongqing Municipal government has sent four medical teams to Barbados since 2016. The medical team of Chongqing has been fully recognized and highly appraised by all sectors of the Barbados society for its noble medical ethics and medical skills.