Tripartite Success: China-Funded Cyclone Idai Reco...

Tripartite Success: China-Funded Cyclone Idai Recovery Project Saves 60,000+ Mothers

$1.24M Maternal Health Project Transforms Post-Disaster Care

Chinese Ambassador Zhou Ding (L), UNFPA Representative Mrs. Miranda Tabifor (C)Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr. Sleiman Kwidini, (R)

ZimNow Reporter

Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe, H.E. Zhou Ding, joined Zimbabweans in marking the successful completion of a critical health intervention that saved lives and strengthened healthcare systems in cyclone-ravaged communities.

Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care Dr. Sleiman Kwidini represented the government at the signing ceremony for the Certificate of Completion of the "Health Assistance Project for Women and Girls Affected by Tropical Cyclone Idai in Zimbabwe," held at the UNFPA boardroom.

Ambassador Zhou emphasized the project's profound impact and its place within China's longstanding commitment to Zimbabwe's health sector.

"This project stands as a shining example of successful tripartite cooperation. It has proved that collective action and solidarity are the most powerful tools in overcoming challenges,” said Amb. Zhou.

Funded by the China South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund and implemented by UNFPA in partnership with Zimbabwe's Ministry of Health and Child Care, the $1.24 million project specifically targeted the devastating aftermath of Cyclone Idai (2019) in Chimanimani and Chipinge districts. These areas suffered immense loss of life, livelihoods, and critical infrastructure, including health facilities, placing pregnant women at extreme risk.

Tangible Results, Lives Saved

Amb. Zhou highlighted the project's “profound impact we have collectively made on the lives of the most vulnerable.”

Over 60,000 life-changing delivery services were provided to mothers in need across the affected districts.

Refurbishment of three maternity waiting homes at Mutambara Mission Hospital, Chipinge District Hospital, and Birchenough Bridge District Hospital, significantly improving access to skilled care.

Training for nearly 300 health workers in emergency obstetric and neonatal care and managing critical complications like postpartum hemorrhage.

"These achievements transcend mere statistics; they represent lives saved, families strengthened, and communities empowered,” said Amb. Zhou.

A Legacy of Health Partnership

The ambassador placed the project within the context of a four-decade-long health partnership between China and Zimbabwe, dating back to the 1980s. He recounted significant contributions:

Deployment of 22 China Medical Teams comprising over 200 experts since 1985, providing free care to hundreds of thousands.

Construction of key facilities like Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital and Mahusekwa Hospital. Critical support during COVID-19, including **17 million vaccine doses** and essential medical equipment.

Sight-restoring initiatives like the Bright Journey Programme are helping over 1,400 cataract patients.

Aligned with National and Global Goals

Both Ambassador Zhou and Hon. Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr. Sleiman Kwidini, emphasized the project's alignment with Zimbabwe's National Development Strategy 1 and its contribution to reducing maternal mortality—a key national priority.

Dr. Kwidini noted maternal mortality had decreased from 462 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2019 to 362 in 2022, crediting initiatives like this project.

Partnership, Impact, and Future Promise

The ceremony underscored several critical takeaways:

1. Effective Tripartite Model—The project demonstrates the tangible success achievable through cooperation between donor countries (China), implementing UN agencies (UNFPA), and host governments (Zimbabwe).

2. Life-Saving Impact: Directly addressed a critical humanitarian need, providing essential services and infrastructure where they were most needed post-disaster, demonstrably saving lives and improving maternal health outcomes.

3. Strengthening Systems: Went beyond immediate relief, building long-term capacity through health worker training and infrastructure upgrades.

4. Deepening China-Zimbabwe Ties—Serves as a powerful testament to the depth and practical impact of the "comprehensive strategic partnership" between the two nations, particularly in the crucial health sector.

5. Blueprint for Future Cooperation—Both Ambassador Zhou and UNFPA Representative Mrs. Miranda Tabifor emphasized that this project's closure is a "launching pad" for further South-South cooperation, knowledge sharing, and scaled-up interventions to achieve zero preventable maternal deaths and advance universal reproductive healthcare in Zimbabwe.

The successful completion of this project marks a significant milestone, not just in recovery from Cyclone Idai, but in the enduring and impactful partnership between Zimbabwe and China.