STORY: Zambia praises China for helping fight cholera
SHOOTING TIME: Sept. 12, 2024
DATELINE: Sept. 25, 2024
LENGTH: 00:01:31
LOCATION: Lusaka
CATEGORY: HEALTH

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Chinese medical team at the National Cholera Center
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): KENNEDY LISHIMPI, Permanent secretary in charge of technical services in Zambia's Ministry of Health
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): KENNEDY LISHIMPI, Permanent secretary in charge of technical services in Zambia's Ministry of Health
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): CHARLES MUTEMBA, Senior medical superintendent at Levy Mwanawasa University Teaching Hospital

STORYLINE:

Zambia has commended China for being among the development partners that responded quickly when the country was hit by a cholera outbreak.

Since October last year, Zambia has recorded more than 20,000 cholera cases and over 700 deaths, one of the worst cholera outbreaks the southern African country has ever seen.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): KENNEDY LISHIMPI, Permanent secretary in charge of technical services in Zambia's Ministry of Health
"China has assisted Zambia to develop the public health infrastructure, as well as the diagnostic and treatment infrastructure in Zambia. Zambia experienced the cholera outbreak in 2023. Chinese government assisted Zambia quite a lot in terms of making sure our community responses were done properly. We had the implements that were needed to improve the water supply in the communities. We had the tanks that we needed to make sure there was safe and clean water available to the citizens. And they also supported the availability of different medicines that were used to treat cholera patients in our country."

Lishimpi said the government has asked a Chinese company to help produce oral cholera vaccines in preparation for the coming rainy season when the country is prone to cholera outbreaks.

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): KENNEDY LISHIMPI, Permanent secretary in charge of technical services in Zambia's Ministry of Health
"We are just in the final stages of finalizing that, so that this company that is in China can produce these initial 3 million doses as they set up here in Zambia, so that we could use them as part of the preparedness before the onset of the rains, to ensure that we don't see cholera cases in this country."

Citing the upgrading of the Levy Mwanawasa University Teaching Hospital from a 250-bed to a 1,200-bed capacity, Lishimpi acknowledged that Zambia-China cooperation in the health sector has brought tangible benefits to the country.

Charles Mutemba, senior medical superintendent at the hospital, commended the Chinese medical teams that have been attached to the hospital, noting that they have made immense contributions to the delivery of health services.

SOUNDBITE 3 (English): CHARLES MUTEMBA, Senior medical superintendent at Levy Mwanawasa University Teaching Hospital
"That's one unique thing about the Chinese government, (which) is that they would like to train you so that (you can) manage patients in the environment where you're used to. They would bring equipment here. So we are very grateful and we would like to express our gratitude to Zambian and to the Chinese government."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Lusaka.
(XHTV)