Commemorative activity held to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Sino-Zambian friendship

Updated: 2018-08-10

Over the past five decades, Chinese medical teams have played a key role in improving African people’s health conditions and advancing their national causes by taking part in a series of foreign-aid projects in regions ranging from thick forests, the Sahara Desert, and the Victoria Falls to areas along the Congo and Zambezi rivers.

The history of China’s medical aid projects dates back to 1978, when the country sent its first medical team to Zambia. Since then, a total of 546 medical staff from 20 teams have treated numerous patients and provided medical care services in Africa through difficult and harsh conditions.    

To memorialize the 40th anniversary of China’s first medical team to Zambia, a commemorative activity was held in Lusaka on Aug 6. Participants included Zambia's Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya; Dai Bohua, vice-governor of Henan province; Li Jie, Chinese ambassador to Zambia; Lai Bo, political counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Zambia; Ouyang Daobing, economic counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Zambia; and Kan Quancheng, director of the Health and Family Planning Commission of Henan province. Other guests were the members of China's 20th medical aid team to Zambia and representatives from Chinese enterprises and institutes in Zambia.

Jiang Hongwei, leader of the 20th medical team to Zambia, said that 40 years ago, the first medical team opened a new chapter for China’s foreign aid initiative to Zambia. In the past four decades, 546 medical staff from 20 teams have treated more than 3 million patients, conducted 20,000 surgeries and introduced over 700 new technologies and projects. The initiative has significantly strengthened the friendship between the two countries.

A producer and patient named Nacho years ago underwent laryngoscope surgery from the 18th Chinese medical team in Zambia. He said that he is very thankful for the Chinese doctors. “I once suffered from hoarseness, which was likely to cause aphonia. It was Gao Changhui, an ear-nose-throat doctor, who saved me.”

Minister Chilufya said that over the past 40 years, the Chinese government has sent 20 medical teams to Zambia, which has greatly improved the medical services of the country and resolved the shortage of human resources. He said he is very grateful for China’s medical aid efforts to his country. The construction and expansion of the Levy Mwanawasa General Hospital by the Chinese government will surely promote the transformation of local medical services. He hopes that the cooperation between China and Zambia will be strengthened in the future. Under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, he added, Sino-African ties are ready to bloom.

Li Jie, the Chinese ambassador to Zambia, said that it was a memorable time in 1978 when the first Chinese medical team was sent to Zambia, as a new chapter was opened for bilateral medical cooperation. Over the past four decades, 545 members of 20 medical teams have overcome many difficulties and devoted themselves to improving medical services and people’s health in Zambia. Today, sending medical teams is just one part of the cooperation between China and Zambia. China also endeavors to share its experience in the medical industry with Zambia through a variety of projects including building hospitals, exchanging experts and launching medical training programs. He said that this year’s Forum on China-Africa Cooperation to be held in September is expected to further boost bilateral relations between the two sides. China will continue its efforts to carry forward the good friendship with Zambia and deepen cooperation on various facets including medical services and health care.   

Dai Bohua, vice-governor of Henan province, said that as one of the provinces that have sent medical teams to Zambia in the past decades, Henan really appreciates and cherishes the good friendship between China and Zambia and pays a great deal of attention to their cooperation in medical care and health. Recently, the province initiated a series of medical aid projects in Zambia such as the China-Zambia Laparoscopy Center and the China-Zambia Teleconsultation Center, another achievement in medical cooperation between the two countries. Henan will deepen its ties with Zambia in areas such as professional training, teleconsultation, human resources, medical management and public health issues to better protect people’s health in Zambia.