Members of the 26th Chinese medical team to Zambia pose for a group photo with Zambian representatives during a farewell ceremony in Lusaka, Zambia, June 26, 2026. (Photo by Martin Mbangweta/Xinhua)
LUSAKA, June 26 (Xinhua) -- The Zambian government on Friday commended the 26th Chinese medical team for its contribution to improving healthcare delivery in the country.
During a certificate presentation ceremony for the team in Lusaka, the country's capital, Siazongo Siakalenge, deputy secretary to the cabinet, said the team's commitment to delivering healthcare services not only strengthened the long-standing cooperation between Zambia and China but also helped save lives.
Siakalenge commended the team's dedication, as the members attended to outpatients, conducted outreach medical camps, trained healthcare workers through structured lectures, and donated advanced medical equipment and machinery.
"These interventions represent real lives transformed and communities positively impacted," he said.
Charles Mutemba, senior medical superintendent at Levy Mwanawasa Teaching Hospital, where most members of the team were stationed, said that the presence of various specialists on the team helped reduce the need to send patients abroad for specialized treatment.
According to Mutemba, local medical personnel also learned from the Chinese medical team's work culture, particularly its adherence to ethics, positive attitude, hard work, honesty, and integrity.
Zhang Yingjian, leader of the medical team, thanked the Zambian government and local medical crew for their support during the team's mission and for the certificates awarded to its members.
He said the team, which arrived in Zambia in June 2025, witnessed firsthand the high prevalence of disease as well as gaps in standardized diagnosis and treatment systems for digestive endoscopy.
"This certificate is not only an honor but also a testament to the deep friendship between China and Zambia," he said.
Zhang expressed hope that the training platform and the local medical professionals trained by the team would continue applying the skills they acquired to serve the Zambian people. ■
Siazongo Siakalenge (2nd R), deputy secretary to the cabinet, presents a certificate of recognition to a member of the 26th Chinese medical team to Zambia during a farewell ceremony in Lusaka, Zambia, June 26, 2026. (Photo by Martin Mbangweta/Xinhua)