Mukudzei Chingwere–Herald Reporter
Medical collaboration between Zimbabwe and China has impressed Government, especially after it has now matured into the twinning arrangement involving Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals and Hunan Provincial People’s Hospital in Changsha, Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga said yesterday.
In a speech read on his behalf by the Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Douglas Mombeshora, at the annual shift of the 20th and the 21st China Medical Teams in Zimbabwe as well as the award ceremony, VP Chiwenga said last night’s event signified the excellent cordial relations that exist between Beijing and Harare, which date back to Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle.
The relationship between the two countries has grown to comprehensive strategic cooperation partnership.
“We acknowledge the level and diversity of expertise in the medical professionals that the People’s Republic of China sends to Zimbabwe,” said VP Chiwenga.
“This is very important for knowledge and skills exchange as well as the teaching of medical students. The medical teams have often filled some of our gaps and introduced new ideas to our systems.
“In recognition of the expertise, we have decided to deploy the China Medical Teams to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, our country’s premier health institution where opportunities to work with various local specialists and teaching medical students are available.”
VP Chiwenga said it was gratifying to note that the arrangement has always proved beneficial to all and has now matured into the twinning arrangement between Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals and Hunan Provincial’s People’s Hospital in Changsha, China.
“The twinning arrangement has so far seen our own Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals establishing a Health Informatics and Telemedicine Centre, a state-of-the-art Respiratory and Critical Care Unit with training facilities for medical students specialising in that area,” he said.
“Through this relationship, we have doctors and nurses who have undergone training in the People’s Republic of China and have already been deployed to relevant areas at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals.”
The Chinese Embassy and the Ministry of Health and Child Care have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding for eye surgeries to be done at Parirenyatwa, which is set to benefit about 600 patients from across the country.
VP Chiwenga said Zimbabwe was looking forward to the project and encouraged the Chinese to consider other important areas like renal, urology and radiology for future cooperation agreements.
Charge d’Affaires from the Chinese Embassy in Harare, Mr Cheng Yan, said four years ago, President Xi Jinping proposed the vision of building a global community of health for all.
Mr Cheng said his country would continue collaboration with Zimbabwe.
“China will continue to advance cooperation with Zimbabwe in the medical and health sectors,” said Mr Cheng.
“This year, we will provide more training programmes for Zimbabwean medical personnel, and conduct another ‘Bright Journey’ programme to benefit around 600 Zimbabwean cataract patients.
“With the arrival of the 21st China Medical Team, more high-quality and free medical services will be provided to the locals.”
