by Julius Gale
JUBA, June 1 (Xinhua) -- A team of Chinese medical doctors working in South Sudan on Thursday marked the International Children's Day by donating assorted items and offering free medical service to children at the state-owned Juba Orphanage.
The 15-member team distributed food items, scholastic materials and sports gear to all 48 children living at the orphanage.
Angelo Kenyi, Director of the Orphanage, said the donation came at the right moment as the center is facing acute shortage of basic items like food and medicine.
He appealed to the Chinese doctors to pay regular visits to the center to assist in treating sick children.
Since independence of South Sudan in 2011, China has dispatched five medical teams with a total of 66 members to offer specialized medical care and surgeries for more than 50,000 patients across South Sudan.
In February, the two countries agreed to boost cooperation in the health sector by enhancing knowledge sharing, capacity building, and hospital to hospital collaboration.
The agreements seek to modernize the health facilities in South Sudan, hospital to hospital collaboration and allow Chinese health specialists to set up experimental operations and management units in the East African nation.
