Coronavirus: Chinese experts to share frontline experience in Hubei with Philippine doctors

Two hospitals, including the Philippines’ designated Covid-19 referral centre, are hoping to gain ‘precious’ knowledge from the specialists on combating the pandemic

Meanwhile, the country’s Covid-19 referral centre says the 25,000 test kits donated by Alibaba founder Jack Ma cannot be used as they have missing parts

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The group of Chinese specialists arrived in the Philippines on April 5, 2020. Photo: Twitter/DFA Philippines

Published: 9:00am, 7 Apr 2020Updated: 9:29am, 7 Apr 2020

Two of the Philippines’ oldest hospitals hope to gain “precious” knowledge from a group of Chinese medical experts who have arrived in the Southeast Asian country to share their frontline experience fighting and containing the coronavirus pandemic.

The 12 doctors are specialists in respiratory and infectious diseases, critical care, and integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine, said Huang Xilian, China’s envoy to the Philippines, who on Sunday welcomed the group on the tarmac. Huang was joined by Philippine foreign secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jnr, who had invited the experts, and health secretary Francisco Duque III.

“Most team members have had frontline experience in Hubei province fighting the epidemic,” Huang said.

The central Hubei province was where the first reports of the virus were recorded, with the outbreak’s epicentre located in its capital, Wuhan. Similarly, the Philippines’ National Capital Region, or Metro Manila, is the centre of the local spread.

The specialists were expected to meet doctors from the Chinese General Hospital (CGH) this week, said its spokesman, Dr Jason Letran, but he did not know exactly when, since it was the Chinese embassy setting the schedule.