When the 22nd China Medical Team prepared to leave Zimbabwe after months of service, the farewell ceremony in Harare was filled with gratitude, emotion and heartfelt reflections. 

While the doctors were widely praised for their medical expertise, many Zimbabweans said what made them truly special was their warmth and willingness to connect with local people beyond the hospital walls.

Former Miss Zimbabwe Charlotte Muziri, who worked closely with the team as an assistant, said their relationship with Zimbabweans extended far beyond professional duties. She said the doctors were friendly and eager to learn about local culture outside the hospital environment.

“Outside work, the guys were very social and willing to learn our culture. I even went to my church with them,” she said.

Muziri added that although most of the doctors were not believers, they still enjoyed the experience.

“Most of them are non-believers, but they enjoyed going to church with me,” she said.

At the hospital, the team earned admiration from both patients and local medical staff. Mildred Manhanga, a nurse aide at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, said the doctors treated everyone with compassion and respect.

“They are very nice to the patients, and they care for everyone no matter what their conditions are,” she said.

Manhanga added that their kindness left a lasting impression on the hospital community.

“They have pure hearts, and I hope the incoming team is as nice as the group that is leaving,” she said.

The Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Douglas Mombeshora, who was represented by a senior official at the ceremony, praised the outgoing team for their dedication to Zimbabwe’s health sector.

In his remarks he said, “Over the past year and a half, you have worked side by side with our doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals, strengthening clinical services and contributing meaningfully to patient care in our institutions.”

He also commended the team’s character, adding that “the professionalism, discipline, humility and cultural sensitivity you have demonstrated have earned you the respect of your Zimbabwean colleagues and the gratitude of our patients.”

Chinese Ambassador Zhou Ding also commended the doctors for their service and the role they played in strengthening relations between the two countries.

“Since your arrival in Zimbabwe in March last year, you have worked tirelessly at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals and across the country, providing medical services to more than 11,000 patients,” he said.

He added that their work had not only strengthened Zimbabwe’s healthcare system but had also deepened the friendship between the two nations.

Speaking at the ceremony, the captain of the outgoing team, Dr Zheng Xingyou, reflected on the mission of the doctors during their stay in Zimbabwe.

“Over the past year, the 22nd China Medical Team has always kept our mission firmly in mind. We stuck to our posts in the hospital, devoted ourselves to clinical work, rescued patients, improved medical skills, and carried out in-depth technical exchanges and training with local medical staff,” he said.

Dr Zheng noted that the team had treated thousands of patients and also organised outreach programmes in communities across the country. He said the experience had been meaningful for the team and had strengthened ties between the people of the two countries.

The ceremony also marked the arrival of the 23rd China Medical Team. Introducing his colleagues, the captain of the incoming team, Dr Ma Zheng, said the group was ready to continue the work and build on the legacy of those who came before them.

“With humility, determination and the spirit of ‘Health for All,’ we commit to serving the Zimbabwean people with the same dedication we would give our own families,” he said.

For many local staff members, the farewell felt personal. Munashe Mboneka, who worked as an assistant to the medical doctors, said the moment was filled with mixed emotions.

“Today it’s a mixed feeling. I’m going to miss the outgoing team because we had made friends and they taught me a lot in terms of morals. They were very nice and kind,” he said.

He added that the doctors welcomed everyone they encountered.

“They welcomed everyone despite their background or medical condition,” Mboneka said, adding that he was also looking forward to working with the incoming team.

Mboneka also expressed gratitude to Ambassador Zhou Ding for the opportunity to work with the Chinese doctors.

“I want to thank Ambassador Zhou Ding for giving us the opportunity to work with the medical team. I managed to travel to different places, learn how to assist patients using traditional methods, and also got the opportunity to travel to China,” he said.

As the 23rd China Medical Team begins its mission in Zimbabwe, the legacy of the outgoing doctors remains clear. 

Their contribution was not only measured in the thousands of patients they treated, but also in the friendships they built and the cultural bridges they created with the people they came to serve.