CHINESE GOVT DONATES MEDICAL SUPPLIES WORTH 1.2 MILLION RMB TO COVID RESPONSE
Lusaka ~ Thur, 7 Jan 2021
By Brightwell Chabusha
THE Chinese Government has donated over 1.2 million Chinese yuan worth of medical supplies towards the COVID-19 response as the country grapples with the second wave.
And 28 Chinese doctors have been deployed to Zambia to support health systems.
Chinese ambassador to Zambia Li Jie announced the donation when he paid a courtesy on Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya yesterday in Lusaka.
Mr Li said the Chinese Government made the donation to help Zambia because of the second ferocious wave of the coronavirus.
“In consideration of urgent, we have decided to provide another batch of medical supply just now because we have noticed with great attention that Zambia is coming into the second wave of the occurrences of coronavirus,” Mr Li said
Mr. Li said the 28 team of medical doctors have arrived in the country and they will be deployed at University Teaching Hospital, Levy Mwanawasa University Teaching Hospital, Ndola University Teaching Hospital and Livingstone General Hospital.
In an effort to enhance skills transfer to the local expertise, Mr Li said the China has sent another group of medical doctors that would be in the country for one year.
Mr. Li said the Chinese doctors will not only help in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic but also support the general requirement and provision of medical services to the people of Zambia.
“Hon Minister, I believe with the strong leadership of the Government headed by President Edgar Lungu with the support from the international community including China, various cycles of Non-Governmental Organisations and better understanding of the Zambian people, Zambia will surely overcome the challenge of the pandemic,” he said
Some of the equipment donated includes Ventilators, oxgenerators, sputum excretion machines, electrocardiograph and oximeters.
Dr Chilufya, who thanked the Chinese Government on behalf of President Lungu, said the donation has come at the right time because of the soaring numbers of covid-19 patients requiring life supporting gadgets.
He said the equipment will strengthen the COVID-19 response, which is in line with President Lungu’s aspiration to ensure that the pandemic is curtailed.
“In the last 24 hours 149 cases of COVID-19 admitted to our varous hospitals, out of these, 88 are on oxygen, so when we receive a donation of Oxgenerator and ventilators and Oximeters, it is speaking precisely to the interventions we are putting in the response to COVID-19,” Dr Chilufya said.
Dr Chilufya said the partnership with the Chinese Government for Universal Health Coverage agenda, which President Lungu has been pushing, has escalated resulting in the coming of the 22nd team of Chinese doctors to Zambia with various specialists that will push the level of service to high level.
The Minister said the doctors will support teaching and service delivery which is significant towards the agenda for health for all.