Chinese health team here to develop partnerships

China’s Vice-Minister of Health Wang Gou Qiana is expected in Malawi today, leading a team of health experts set to develop partnerships and areas of cooperation with the local Ministry of Health.

In an interview in China, president of the Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Wang Shengliang, said the vice-minister will be accompanied by a number of dignitaries from the health sector.

He said: “The vice-minister will be together with me and some other professors from the university. The team of the university is working with Ministry of Health in Malawi now.

“We arrive on April 17 and leave on the 20th for Kenya. Among other issues to be discussed are cooperation in the area of eradicating malaria through our university, the establishment of the Malawi-China medical centre as well as a project with a medical school [College of Medicine] there.”

Among the local officials expected to meet the delegation is Minister of Health Peter Kumpalume who said: “I can confirm the Vice-Minister of Health and National Planning is in the country on Monday to, among other things, strengthen our relationship in health collaboration.”

Currently, there are 16 Chinese doctors working in public hospitals in the country under Beijing’s Health Support Programme.

Kamuzu Central Hospital and Mzuzu Central Hospital are hosting eight doctors each with specialisation in gynaecology, paediatrics, surgery and internal medicine.

Last month, China announced a new aid package for Africa aimed at revamping the health sector, one of the chronic problems for the continent.

Malawi, Burundi and Zambia are some of the countries expected to benefit from the package. n