Russia and Ethiopia have agreed to conduct joint scientific research, involving help for the Ethiopian side to develop laboratories and increase the African country's capacity to prepare for epidemics, the state Russian health agency Rospotrebnadzor said on social networks after the visit of the agency's delegation to the East African state.
"As a result of the meetings, an agreement was reached to conduct joint scientific research, as well as to assist the Ethiopian side in developing laboratory infrastructure and increasing [its] capacity in preparing for epidemics," the statement read.
According to Rospotrebnadzor, the countries also discussed issues related to prevention and response to infectious threats and prospects of cooperation in the field of sanitary and epidemic welfare.
As for other Russia-Africa cooperation projects in healthcare, Russian state firm Rostec recently declared that it helped Zimbabwe to create its own air ambulance service, the first on the continent. In addition to concluding contracts for the delivery of Russian Ansat and Mi-17 multipurpose helicopters to the African state, the corporation provided technical specialists and flight personnel with the necessary training, which covers all stages of a patient's transfer to a hospital.
Moreover, in late September, a memorandum of understanding was signed by the Russia's state nuclear energy corporation, Rosatom and the Algerian Atomic Energy Commission (COMENA) to implement joint cooperation projects to develop nuclear medicine.