Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe marks 60th anniversary of Chinese Medical Teams

Zhu Wei (R), leader of the 19th Chinese Medical Team in Zimbabwe and outgoing chief of the TCM Clinic in Zimbabwe, receives a medal from Zimbabwean Vice President and Minister of Health and Child Care Constantino Chiwenga at a ceremony to mark the 60th anniversary of Chinese Medical Teams and to welcome the 20th Chinese Medical Team in Zimbabwe in Harare, Zimbabwe, on March 8, 2023. The Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe on Wednesday held a ceremony to mark the 60th anniversary of sending the first China Medical Team abroad and to welcome the 20th Chinese Medical Team to Zimbabwe. (Xinhua/Tafara Mugwara)

HARARE, March 8 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe on Wednesday held a ceremony to mark the 60th anniversary of sending the first China Medical Team abroad and to welcome the 20th Chinese Medical Team to Zimbabwe.

The event also celebrated the outgoing 19th Chinese Medical Team in Zimbabwe on the successful completion of its year-long mission.

"Today, we are gathering here to commemorate the 60th anniversary of China dispatching its first medical team abroad and the 38th anniversary of the Chinese Medical Team to Zimbabwe," Cheng Yan, charge d'affaires at the Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe, said.

Since China dispatched its first foreign medical team to Algeria in 1963, a total of 30,000 medical personnel have treated 290 million local patients in 76 countries and regions. Currently, Chinese medical teams are working at 115 sites in 56 countries around the world, Cheng said.

Since 1985, China has dispatched 20 medical teams to Zimbabwe. Over the past year, the 19th Chinese Medical Team worked in collaboration with Zimbabwe's Ministry of Health and Child Care and related departments to provide medical treatment to Zimbabweans.

He said over the past year, the 19th medical team overcame the difficulties of COVID-19 and devoted themselves to their mission.

"They went to factories, mining areas, villages, and schools receiving more than 11,000 medical consultations, conducted more than 550 surgeries, and rescued more than 120 critically ill patients," Cheng said.

In addition, he said they successfully set up the Zimbabwe-China Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Acupuncture Center, and provided free acupuncture treatment and training programs to local people.

"Their works have brought actual benefits to Zimbabwean people, which vividly demonstrate the idea of building a global community of health for all," said Cheng.

In addition, he said the 20th China Medical Team will continue to carry forward the spirit of the Chinese medical teams and make new contributions to China-Zimbabwe medical and health cooperation.

"The fruitful medical and health cooperation between our two countries comes from the fact that China and Zimbabwe are good friends, good brothers, and good partners. Following the principles of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith and the philosophy of people-centered development, China has committed to supporting Zimbabwe's national development, improving people's livelihood, and promoting a human community with a shared future through win-win cooperation," added Cheng.

Speaking at the event, Zimbabwean Vice President and Minister of Health and Child Care Constantino Chiwenga acknowledged the role that China and the medical team have played in Zimbabwe's fight against COVID-19, noting that "Zimbabwe is very grateful for the provision of personal protective equipment and COVID-19 laboratory testing from the very early stages of the pandemic."

"This gave us the capacity to not only contain the spread of the disease, but also to protect our frontline health workers and the health care systems," Chiwenga said.

In addition, he expressed gratitude to China for providing vaccines to Zimbabwe.

"The first lot of COVID-19 vaccines in Zimbabwe was a donation from the Chinese government in February 2021, and this provided a turning point of a very successful vaccination campaign which is currently at 60.8 percent," Chiwenga said.

In his farewell remarks, Zhu Wei, leader of the 19th Chinese Medical Team, and outgoing chief of the TCM Clinic in Zimbabwe, said the team had contributed to Zimbabwe's health cause.

"We have provided medical services to local people wholeheartedly, promoted the cooperation project of the counterpart hospitals for respiratory and critical care constantly, promoted onsite rescue-first witness training and laparoscopic operation actively, provided TCM acupuncture diagnosis and treatment services for the people of Zimbabwe, and carried out TCM acupuncture and moxibustion personnel training," Zhu said.

"Through the use of medical skills, we managed to interact with the Zimbabwean patients; by understanding the rich and diverse culture of Zimbabweans, communicating with the people became easier and enjoyable," Zhu added.

In addition, he said the China medical teams will continue to come to Zimbabwe and take over the task of their predecessors to provide medical services to the Zimbabwean people.

China and Zimbabwe have a long history of cooperation in the medical field.

To support Zimbabwe's fight against COVID-19, China donated a large number of medical supplies, including a donation of 5 million doses of vaccines to Zimbabwe. Last year, the National Pharmaceutical Warehouse, aided by China, was handed over to the Zimbabwean government.

Members of the 19th Chinese Medical Team in Zimbabwe pose for a photo at a ceremony to mark the 60th anniversary of Chinese Medical Teams and to welcome the 20th Chinese Medical Team in Zimbabwe in Harare, Zimbabwe, on March 8, 2023. The Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe on Wednesday held a ceremony to mark the 60th anniversary of sending the first China Medical Team abroad and to welcome the 20th Chinese Medical Team to Zimbabwe. (Xinhua/Tafara Mugwara)