HARARE, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- After studying medicine in China, Zimbabwean doctor Karen Gurure has been seeking to translate her overseas-acquired knowledge into practical, locally tailored solutions that strengthen Zimbabwe's healthcare system.
Returning to Zimbabwe in 2019 after graduating from Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Gurure's experiences in China have significantly shaped her approach to healthcare innovation and public health leadership in Zimbabwe.
Now serving as a regulator under Zimbabwe's Ministry of Health and Child Care, she has applied regulatory and quality assurance frameworks drawn from the Chinese health system to support safer integration of traditional and complementary medicine, strengthen compliance, and improve oversight.
"My exposure to China's research, pharmaceutical development, and technology translation ecosystem has also informed my work in registering and deploying life-saving medicines and diagnostics, including antimalarial therapies and rapid HIV testing technologies," said Gurure.
Meanwhile, she also remained committed to skills transfer by facilitating scholarship opportunities for Zimbabwean students to study pharmacy in China, helping address national skills gaps and build long-term pharmaceutical capacity.
Through Gurure's assistance, 15 local students will depart for China in late December to study pharmacy at Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine under a scholarship.
"China is a global leader in pharmaceutical innovation, and these skills are critically needed in Zimbabwe. Equipped with this knowledge and technology, these graduates will be well positioned to contribute to local medicine manufacturing, strengthen our pharmaceutical industry, and support national health self-sufficiency," said Gurure.
One of the scholarship beneficiaries is 19-year-old Niel Dutiro, who hopes to make significant contributions to his field of study from his education in China.
"It is a new environment, but a new environment means new possibilities, experiences, and knowledge," Dutiro said after submitting his visa application at the Chinese Embassy in Harare, Zimbabwe's capital.
Another grant recipient, 19-year-old Devine Dendere, hopes to bring new pharmaceutical knowledge back home.
"I hope to bring better options here in Zimbabwe, better drugs that will help us, things that we do not have, getting exposure from other countries, seeing how people work outside, and then bring it back here, to help our country," she said.
According to Gurure, China has increasingly become a main study destination for Zimbabwean students, particularly in such fields as medicine, pharmacy, engineering, and the applied sciences.
"China offers high-quality education with strong emphasis on science, technology, and practical training, often at a lower cost compared to traditional Western destinations," she said.
The availability of fully-funded and partially-funded scholarships, supported by the Chinese government and partner institutions, has made higher education in China accessible to students, she said.
"China's long-standing diplomatic and development cooperation with Zimbabwe has strengthened academic exchange programs. This has created opportunities not only for education, but also for skills transfer, technology exposure, and long-term institutional partnerships," she said.
In addition, she said China offers unique exposure to alternative and complementary medical systems, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine, alongside modern biomedical sciences.
"For Zimbabwean students, this provides a broader, more holistic educational experience that is increasingly relevant to integrated and sustainable healthcare delivery. By facilitating Zimbabwean students to study pharmacy in China, I hope that they will return with advanced exposure in research, drug development, and pharmaceutical manufacturing," said Gurure. ■