STORY: China, Zimbabwe cooperate on schistosomiasis elimination
DATELINE: July 26, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:47
LOCATION: SHAMVA, Zimbabwe
CATEGORY: HEALTH
 
SHOTLIST:
1. exterior of a rural clinic
2. various of patients receiving schistosomiasis tablets
3. various of laboratory testing 
4. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): LI SHIZHU, Deputy director of the National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, China CDC
5. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): NICHOLAS MIDZI, Director of Zimbabwe's the National Institute of Health Research
6. various people by a water stream
7. various of school children watching an educational video on schistosomiasis 
 
STORYLINE:
 
Zimbabwe's health ministry is working with experts from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) to implement a schistosomiasis elimination pilot study in Shamva, a district north of the capital Harare.
 
Under the two-month pilot study which began in June, samples of urine, blood and feces were collected from villagers in Chavakadzi Ward, Shamva District, to determine the prevalence of the disease.
   
Tests were conducted and those with the disease were then contacted to receive treatment at a local clinic.
   
Speaking at a media familiarization field tour of the pilot study sites organized by the Ministry of Health and Childcare on Monday, Li Shizhu, deputy director of the National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, China CDC, said the pilot program seeks to completely eliminate the disease in Zimbabwe.
   
SOUNDBITE 1 (English): LI SHIZHU, Deputy director of the National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, China CDC
"Speaking of this elimination, it refers to zero local transmitted human case and livestock, and zero infected snails, which are the host of the disease. In this process, China gets a lot of lessons and experiences, and a number of tools are developed by Chinese scientists."
  
In an interview with Xinhua on the sidelines of the media familiarization tour, National Institute of Health Research Director Nicholas Midzi said Zimbabwe is set to gain valuable experience from China in eradicating schistosomiasis.
 
SOUNDBITE 2 (English): NICHOLAS MIDZI, Director of Zimbabwe's National Institute of Health Research
"In this initiative, the first stage is for the Chinese counterparts and Zimbabwean counterparts to access the diagnostic tools that can be used to detect or to test infection of urinary bilharzia or intestinal bilharzia, using rapid tools that can be applied at community levels."
 
Midzi noted that the pilot program is being implemented in Shamva  because the district has the highest burden of schistosomiasis in Zimbabwe.
 
The pilot study will be followed by further support from China for a large-scale project.
   
The schistosomiasis prevention program is one of several China-funded initiatives underway in Zimbabwe for promoting public health.
 
Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Shamva, Zimbabwe.
(XHTV)