Hu Yang
2024 marks the 39th anniversary of China dispatching medical aid teams to Zimbabwe. Over the past 39 years, China has sent 20 batches of medical aid teams totaling 199 people including 9 short-term medical teams with a total of 78 people. The teams have provided medical treatment to over 70,000 patients.
The latest team to serve in Zimbabwe, the 20th China medical team is about to conclude its mission and return to China. The medical team has traveled to 10 provinces in Zimbabwe, conducting 14 free clinics in local Chinese-funded enterprises, communities, schools, orphanages, and events such as the 113th Zimbabwe Agricultural Show. During these clinics, the team actively promoted the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, common illnesses, and prevalent diseases, while also distributing medical supplies and medications.
The team hails from Hunan Province, China, which is also the hometown of Mao Zedong, the founding father of the People's Republic of China.
They formed partnership with the Zimbabwe Hunan Chamber of Commerce which was established in 2009, bringing together entrepreneurs from Hunan Province. The current president is Song Zhuolin.
Four years ago, Song Zhuolin adopted an orphan named Jubilance. Jubilance has excelled in academics and has shown outstanding athletic talent, achieving excellent results in various sports competitions, including breaking Zimbabwe's national record in shot put and ranking second in the entire Africa. So outstanding is Jubilance that she has been personally recognized by President Mnangagwa.
The medical team also partnered with Mothers of Love Community, an association of Chinese women dedicated to assisting Zimbabwean orphans and children in difficult circumstance.
Together with the Mothers of Love Community and the Hunan Chamber of Commerce in Zimbabwe, the medical team conducted health checks for local children and donated supplies.
On Christmas Eve 2023, the Hunan Chamber of Commerce, the medical team, and the Mothers of Love Community donated supplies to 150 orphans at Epworth Muguta Secondary School. In addition they gifted tuition fees, uniforms, and study materials to 11 outstanding orphans, enabling them to continue their education at school.
The longstanding traditional friendship between the people of China and Zimbabwe has brought health and hope to the local population over the 39-year journey of Chinese medical assistance in Zimbabwe. It has also promoted cultural exchange and understanding between the two countries.
The collaborative efforts of the Hunan Chamber of Commerce in Zimbabwe, the medical team, and the "Mothers of Love Community not only demonstrate care for Zimbabwean children but also embody the spirit of international friendship and humanitarianism.
This spirit of mutual assistance and mutual benefit will further strengthen and deepen the friendship between the people of China and Zimbabwe, laying a solid foundation for future cooperation and development.
The writer Hu Yang, is an attending physician in the Neonatology Department of Hunan Children's Hospital and translator for the 20th China Medical Team to Zimbabwe
Zim Now WriterU.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to begin negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.The decision was made during a 90-minute phone cal..
TrumpNyashadzashe NdoroChief ReporterCabinet has approved a comprehensive set of measures aimed at addressing challenges in the formal business environment, as presented by Finance Minister Professor Mth..
ZimbabweNyashadzashe NdoroChief ReporterIn a bid to protect citizens from humiliation and embarrassment, the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe has issued a public notice warning..
Zimbabwe
Leave Comments