Putin pledges to boost Africa-Russia medical collaboration

Russia intends to increase cooperation with Africa in the sphere of medicine and provide drugs and mobile laboratories to the continent, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday.

Putin said this while delivering a speech at the second Russia-Africa international parliamentary conference in Moscow.

“We intend to increase cooperation on such urgent topics for Africa as medicine and healthcare, ensuring biological and epidemiological safety.

“To this end, Russia is ready to provide mobile laboratories with equipment, modern drugs, and train specialists,” he said.

Putin also noted that during the Coronavirus pandemic, Russia was one of the first countries that began to supply large volumes of vaccines, test systems, sanitary and hygienic products, and other medical and humanitarian supplies to African states.