Chinese medical team treats over 7,000 Zimbabwean patients within half year

HARARE - Nearly six months on, the 22nd batch of the Chinese medical team in Zimbabwe has delivered treatment to more than 7,000 local patients.

In an interview with Xinhua on Sunday in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, the team said its 11 medical professionals, covering various specialities from neurology to orthopedics, have been carrying out free medical consultations across the country and have performed over 200 surgeries since they commenced their practice in March.

"Some locals in remote areas don't have access to quality medical services; that's why we have been extending our reach to them by doing voluntary consultations," said Zhang Xiong, an orthopedist of the team.

Zhang, together with some of his colleagues, also offered free outpatient services every week at the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) center of the Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals (PGH) in Harare, providing TCM therapeutic techniques to help patients suffering from chronic diseases.

"Many local patients have come to realize that the TCM therapy is much safer and cheaper for some diseases," Zhang said.

Gao Juhua, the team's neurologist, told Xinhua that many Zimbabwean patients suffered from high blood pressure and high blood sugar, but many of them have little knowledge about their conditions.

"The free clinic offered them a place for medical checkups, and we will give them advice like how to take medicine rationally and maintain a healthy lifestyle," Gao said.

In the meantime, the team has been imparting cutting-edge medical knowledge and technology to their Zimbabwean counterparts by conducting training sessions, benefiting around 100 medical staff so far.

Li Jie, a respiratory physician of the team who was dispatched by central China's Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, said the Chinese hospital has partnered with the PGH on a respiratory and critical care medicine project since 2022, through which thousands of local patients have been treated.

"Under this project, we are able to invite many top-notch specialists in the Chinese hospital to help PGH, the largest general hospital in Zimbabwe, strengthen its capacity in this field by training local medical professionals consistently," Li said.

China has dispatched 22 medical teams to Zimbabwe since 1985, which played an important part in boosting the medical services in the southern African country.