LUSAKA, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) -- China and Zambia on Thursday announced a paired hospital cooperation mechanism between the National Health Commission of China and Zambia's Ministry of Health.
The agreement will result in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University of China and Zambia's Levy Mwanawasa University Teaching Hospital establishing a cooperation mechanism in the field of prostatic specialty.
Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Han Jing said the agreement will result in China helping Zambia strengthen the construction of local urinary surgery, introduce advanced minimally invasive technology, send a short-term group of experts to carry out clinical diagnosis as well as provide training courses and guidance to local health personnel in the departments of urinary surgery.
China has donated relevant medical materials and equipment aimed at improving the diagnosis and treatment of prostatic disorders, according to Han.
The Chinese envoy said China has helped the Zambian hospital build a urological laparoscopy center and is also building a minimally invasive center for prostate cancer while a team of medical experts is expected to arrive in Zambia this year to carry out related activities.
According to him, public health cooperation is an important part of the friendly cooperation between China and Africa and that building a China-Africa community of health for all is an integral part of a shared future.
China has dispatched a total of 25 batches of medical teams to Zambia over the years. The medical teams have diagnosed and treated 6.4 million patients and performed more than 39,000 operations as well as introduced more than 1,000 new technologies and health projects in Zambia.
China will work with Zambia to deepen cooperation and foster an even stronger all-weather, all-dimensional strategic cooperation, said the ambassador, adding that in the next three years, China and African countries will advance the cooperation mechanism between paired-up Chinese and African hospitals, establish a China-Africa hospital alliance, and continue to improve the services and management of Chinese and African medical institutions.
"China will continue to send Chinese medical teams and public health experts to Zambia by sharing experiences and good practices in medical treatment and disease prevention and control management, offering free medical services as well as medical and health technology training," he said.
Kenedy Lishimpi, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health in Charge of Technical Services, said the agreement will improve service delivery and strengthen the construction of local urinary surgery as well as promote the improvement of diagnosis and treatment levels of prostatic disorders.
He said the availability of advanced equipment in hospitals in the country will benefit local people as the equipment will help the hospitals operate at an optimal level and provide affordable and effective health care.
He thanked China for its contribution to the improvement of the health sector in Zambia by providing technical support in the areas of human resources, equipment, medical supplies and infrastructure.
Mainga Muleya, one of the health workers, who were sent to China to undergo training under the paired program, said the training has improved his skills and the donated equipment will help the health workers conduct surgeries efficiently.
