JUBA, Nov. 9 -- The 11th batch of the Chinese medical team on Thursday handed over modern equipment and reagents to support the newly established microbiology laboratory in Juba Teaching Hospital, South Sudan's main referral.

The existing laboratory had been ill-equipped for years, said Anthony Lupai, director general of Juba Teaching Hospital, stressing that the equipment and reagents provided by the Chinese medical team would transform testing and accurate diagnosis of sick patients.

Lupai expressed gratitude on behalf of the people of South Sudan during the donation ceremony held in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.

Charles Mazinda, laboratory manager at Juba Teaching Hospital, said that the microbiology laboratory equipment would ease testing and treatment of common diseases such as malaria and typhoid, which had been difficult to diagnose over the past years.

Microbiology testing was scarce across parts of the country, and the few existing laboratories in Juba were very expensive for patients to afford, he said, noting that the establishment of the microbiology laboratory would offer affordable testing and evidence-based treatment.

Chen Si, the leader of the Chinese medical team, said that South Sudan has a high incidence of infectious diseases, and timely diagnosis and treatment are not always available due to limited resources and infrastructure.

The establishment of the microbiology laboratory was seen as a significant contribution to maintaining the health and well-being of the people of South Sudan. The donation of the microbiology laboratory is one of the key projects under the China-South Sudan hospital cooperation mechanism.

Chen Si pledged the Chinese medical team's utmost effort to assist Juba Teaching Hospital in microbiological pathogen testing and provide strong support for clinical departments.