HARARE — The Chinese government on Dec 18 donated urology equipment to Zimbabwe's largest referral hospital, pledging to help the country establish the largest urinary tract endoscopy medical center in sub-Saharan Africa.

The urology equipment, worth about $298,000, was handed over to Zimbabwe's Health Minister Obadiah Moyo by Wu Guiying, vice-governor of central China's Hunan province, at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in the capital Harare.

Moyo thanked China for the continuous donations of medical equipment and medicines, and the improvement of health care infrastructure in Zimbabwe.

"The value and sophistication of the equipment is clear testimony of how the bilateral relationship between Zimbabwe and China has flourished over time."

"Indeed, this is not the first batch of medical equipment that we have received from China as a donation. I am very happy that you have supported our largest teaching hospital with the modern medical equipment which will go a long way in achieving better patient outcomes," the minister said.

He thanked China for sending medical teams of experts to Zimbabwe, a development he said allows exchange of knowledge and skills between local and Chinese doctors.

"I want to applaud the high levels of discipline and loyalty by all your medical teams during their stay in Zimbabwe," Moyo said.

The current Chinese medical team in the country is being led by a specialist in Chinese traditional medicine and Moyo said Zimbabwe was keen to tap more knowledge and information from him on the type of medicine that has not yet gained traction in the country's clinics and hospitals.

Also speaking at the handover ceremony, Wu underlined the deep medical ties that exist between Zimbabwe and Hunan province.

Over the past 34 years, both sides have increasingly deepened the exchanges and cooperation in health care, which serves as a bridge of people-to-people ties between China and Zimbabwe, according to Wu.

"As for now, Hunan has sent 17 medical aid teams to Zimbabwe with a total of 166 medical workers," Wu said.

In recent years, Zimbabwe has sent about 100 medical staff members to Hunan Province for further study and exchanges, she said.

This year marked the fourth year that Xiangya Hospital of Central South University and Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals had launched a program of cooperative hospital in urology.

"In the past four years, we have strengthened cooperation and are committed to establishing the largest urinary tract endoscopy medical center in the sub-Saharan Africa, for boosting technology in Zimbabwe to an advanced level in Africa," she said.

Hunan province planned to further deepen exchanges and cooperation with Zimbabwe in various areas including economy, trade, people-to-people exchanges, tourism and education, Wu added.