Ethiopian company plans to partner with Chinese companies for manufacturing ventilators

   ADDIS ABABA, May 6 -- As the world has been affected by the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and demanding ventilators used to treat COVID-19 patients, a company in Ethiopia, dubbed Yascai, said it has produced a prototype of ventilators, eying partnership with companies in China to launch manufacturing of the products.
   Speaking to Xinhua on Wednesday exclusively, Samuel Yitbarek, Chief Executive Officer of Yascai and Family Plc Ethiopia, said his company has already started contacting companies in China to partner on the production in Ethiopia of the product, not only for the local market, but to also serve overseas markets.
   Established about 21 years ago, the company in Ethiopia is also known as the biggest labeling glue business made out of organic products. Yascai is currently producing casein-based labeling adhesives.
   Emphasizing that innovation is the core value of the company's approach to produce quality and sustainable solutions, the Chief Executive Officer said Yascai endeavors to produce the ventilators upto the standard and supply to the market with fair price.
   "The main thing that motivated and enabled us to come up with the idea of producing ventilators is our experience in the process automation. Given our experience in that regard, we have been able to adapt the technology for this product, and we have been able to produce the prototype," he said.
   Stating that the Chinese have the expertise and better technologies of such products, Yitbarek has expressed his company's keen interest to partner with Chinese companies for manufacturing of the product.
   Speaking of the China-Africa relations and cooperation, he reiterated that China has been supporting and partnering with African countries, whereby tangible results have been gained out of the cooperation in different areas.
   He noted that the China-Africa partnership has brought significant contribution to infrastructure and industry development on the African continent, and most importantly job creation for the local people.
   Hailing the assistance and support from China to Africa in the battle against COVID-19, he noted that China has been providing support of different forms in the fight against the pandemic on the continent and the rest of the world.
   He noted that the Chinese experience in curbing the pandemic should serve as a big lesson to Africa and the rest of the world.
   "In addition to donation of medical supplies, China has also been supporting our country and others, by sending medical experts to share their experience with our doctors so that we could address the problem," he said.  Xinhua